"You really have never suspected? With whom conceivably but old Van?"

"Nanda's in love with old Van?"--the degree to which she had never
suspected was scarce to be expressed. "Why he's twice her age--he has
seen her in a pinafore with a dirty face and well slapped for it: he has
never thought of her in the world."

"How can a person of your acuteness, my dear woman," Mitchy asked,
"mention such trifles as having the least to do with the case? How
can you possibly have such a fellow about, so beastly good-looking, so
infernally well turned out in the way of 'culture,' and so bringing them
down in short on every side, and expect in the bosom of your family the
absence of history of the reigns of the good kings? If YOU were a girl
wouldn't YOU turn purple? If I were a girl shouldn't I--unless, as is
more likely, I turned green?"

Mrs. Brookenham was deeply affected. "Nanda does turn purple--?"

"The loveliest shade you ever saw. It's too absurd that you haven't
noticed."

It was characteristic of Mrs. Brookenham's amiability that, with her
sudden sense of the importance of this new light, she should be quite
ready to abase herself. "There are so many things in one's life. One
follows false scents. One doesn't make out everything at once. If you're
right you must help me. We must see more of her."

"But what good will that do me?" Mitchy appealed.

"Don't you care enough for her to want to help HER?" Then before
he could speak, "Poor little darling dear!" his hostess tenderly
ejaculated. "What does she think or dream? Truly she's laying up
treasure!"

"Oh he likes her," said Mitchy. "He likes her in fact extremely."

"Do you mean he has told you so?"

"Oh no--we never mention it! But he likes her," Mr. Mitchett stubbornly
repeated. "And he's thoroughly straight."

Mrs. Brookenham for a moment turned these things over; after which she
came out in a manner that visibly surprised him. "It isn't as if you
wished to be nasty about him, is it?--because I know you like him
yourself. You're so wonderful to your friends"--oh she could let him
see that she knew!--"and in such different and exquisite ways. There are
those like HIM"--she signified her other visitor--"who get everything
out of you and whom you really appear fond of, or at least to put up
with, just FOR that. Then there are those who ask nothing--and whom
you're fond of in spite of it."

Mitchy leaned back from this, fist within fist, watching her with
a