but to tell her aunt.
That there would be some absurdity in such a proceeding she did
feel,--that she would be acting as though her cousin were a naughty
boy who was merely teasing her. But she felt also the peculiar danger
of her own position. Her aunt must be made to understand that she,
Ayala, was innocent in the matter. It would be terrible to her to
be suspected even for a moment of a desire to inveigle the heir.
That Augusta would bring such an accusation against her she thought
probable. Augusta had said as much even at Glenbogie. She must
therefore be on the alert, and let it be understood at once
that she was not leagued with her cousin Tom. There would be an
absurdity;--but that would be better than suspicion.

She thought about it all that afternoon, and in the evening she came
to a resolution. She would write a letter to her cousin and persuade
him if possible to desist. If he should again annoy her after that
she would appeal to her aunt. Then she wrote and sent her letter,
which was as follows;--

DEAR TOM,

You don't know how unhappy you made me at the Coliseum
to-day. I don't think you ought to turn against me when
you know what I have to bear. It is turning against me
to talk as you did. Of course it means nothing; but you
shouldn't do it. It _never never_ could mean anything. I
hope you will be good-natured and kind to me, and then I
shall be so much obliged to you. If you won't say anything
more like that I will forget it altogether.

Your affectionate cousin,

AYALA.

The letter ought to have convinced him. Those two underscored nevers
should have eradicated from his mind the feeling which had been
previously produced by the assertion that he had "meant nothing."
But he was so assured in his own meanings that he paid no attention
whatever to the nevers. The letter was a delight to him because it
gave him the opportunity of a rejoinder,--and he wrote his rejoinder
on a scented sheet of note-paper and copied it twice;--

DEAREST AYALA,

Why do you say that it means nothing? It means everything.
No man was ever more in earnest in speaking to a lady than
I am with you. Why should I not be in earnest when I am so
deeply in love? From the first moment in which I saw you
down at Glenbogie I knew how it was going to be with me.

As for my mother I don't think she would say a word. Why
should she? But I am not the sort of man to be t