quietly and explained that you had missed the post."

Peggy shook her head sagely. "You think so now, because the danger is
over, and you are sure it can't happen. But I know better. I can tell
you exactly what would have happened. You wouldn't have stormed or
raged, it would have been better if you had, and sooner over; you would
just have stood still, and--glared at me! When I'd finished speaking,
you would have swallowed two or three times over, as if you were gulping
down something which you dared not say, and then turned on your heel and
marched out of the room. That's what you would have done, my dear and
honourable sir, and you know it!"

Robert hung his head and looked self-conscious.

"Well, if I had! A fellow can't hide all he feels in the first moment
of disappointment. But I should have got over it, and you know very
well that I should never have brought it up against you. `Glared!'
What if I _did_ glare? There is nothing very terrible in that, is
there?"

"Yes, there is. I could not have borne it, when I had been trying so
hard to help you. And it would not have been only the first few
minutes. Every time when you were quiet and depressed, when you looked
at your specimens through your little old glass and sighed, and pitched
it away, as I've seen you do scores and scores of times, I should have
felt that it was my fault, and been in the depths of misery. No, no,
I'm sorry to the depths of my heart that I scared dear Mrs Asplin and
the rest, but it is a matter of acute satisfaction to me to know that
your chance has in no way been hindered by your confidence in me!" and
Peggy put her head on one side, and coughed in a faint and ladylike
manner, which brought the twinkle back into Robert's eyes.

"Good old Mariquita!" he cried, laughing. "`Acute satisfaction' is
good, Mariquita--decidedly good! You will make your name yet in the
world of letters. Well, as I said before, you are a jolly little brick,
and the best partner a fellow ever had! Mind you, I tell you straight
that I think you behaved badly in cutting off like that; but I'll stand
by you to the others, and not let them sit upon you while I am there."

"Thanks!" said Peggy meekly. "But, oh, I beseech of you, don't bring up
the subject if you can help it! I'm tired to death of it all! The
kindest thing you can do is to talk hard about something else, and give
them a fresh excitement to think about. Talk about--about--about