, and
afterwards he made himself more agreeable, and you didn't mind his
behaving as if you belonged to him, and you respected him, but after all
didn't think him fascinating--"

"He _is_ fascinating--in a kind of way. He was, from the beginning. In a
story his cold, snubbing, putting-down ways would have been perfectly
fascinating."

"Then why didn't you take him?"

"Because," answered Kitty, between laughing and crying, "it isn't a
story, and I don't know whether I like him."

"But do you think you might get to like him?"

"I don't know. His asking brings back all the doubts I ever had of him,
and that I've been forgetting the past two weeks. I can't tell whether I
like him or not. If I did, shouldn't I trust him more?"

"Well, whether you are in love or not, I'll tell you what you _are_,
Kitty," cried Mrs. Ellison, provoked with her indecision, and yet
relieved that the worst, whatever it was, was postponed thereby for a
day or two.

"What!"

"You're--"

But at this important juncture the colonel came lounging in, and Kitty
glided out of the room.

"Richard," said Mrs. Ellison, seriously, and in a tone implying that it
was the colonel's fault, as usual, "you know what has happened, I
suppose."

"No, my dear, I don't; but no matter: I will presently, I dare say."

"O, I wish for once you wouldn't be so flippant. Mr. Arbuton has offered
himself to Kitty."

Colonel Ellison gave a quick, sharp whistle of amazement, but trusted
himself to nothing more articulate.

"Yes," said his wife, responding to the whistle, "and it makes me
perfectly wretched."

"Why, I thought you liked him."

"I didn't _like_ him; but I thought it would be an excellent thing for
Kitty."

"And won't it?"

"She doesn't know."

"Doesn't know?"

"No."

The colonel was silent, while Mrs. Ellison stated the case in full, and
its pending uncertainty. Then he exclaimed vehemently, as if his
amazement had been growing upon him, "This is the most astonishing thing
in the world! Who would ever have dreamt of that young iceberg being in
love?"

"Haven't I _told_ you all along he was?"

"O yes, certainly; but that might be taken either way, you know. You
would discover the tender passion in the eye of a potato."

"Colonel Ellison," said Fanny with sternness, "why do you suppose he's
been hanging about us for the last four weeks? Why should he have stayed
in Quebec? Do you think he pitied _me_, or found _you_ so very
agreeabl