y," she said, "you needn't get unto a temper about it, but
people will talk, you know; and they say that your attentions to that
young lady are rather marked, considering that she is engaged to be
married; and you have induced your mother to make a pet of her. Shall
I go on?"

"No, you needn't," he said with a strong effort to overcome his anger.
"You're quite right--people do talk, but they wouldn't talk so much
if other people didn't carry tales. Why, it isn't like you, Jue! I
thought you were another sort. And about this girl, of all girls in
the world!"

He got up and began walking about the room, and talking with
considerable vehemence, but no more in anger. He would tell her what
cause there was for this silly gossip. He would tell her who this
girl was who had been lightly mentioned. And in his blunt, frank,
matter-of-fact way, which did not quite conceal his emotion, he
revealed to his cousin all that he thought of Wenna Rosewarne, and
what he hoped for her in the future, and what their present relations
were, and then plainly asked her if she could condemn him.

Miss Juliott was touched: "Sit down, Harry: I have wanted to talk
to you, and I don't mean to heed any gossip. Sit down, please--you
frighten me by walking up and down like that. Now, I'm going to talk
common sense to you, for I should like to be your friend; and your
mother is so easily led away by any sort of sentiment that she isn't
likely to have seen with my eyes. Suppose that this Miss Rosewarne--"

"No, hold hard a bit, Jue," he said imperatively. "You may talk till
the millennium, but just keep off her, I warn you."

"Will you hear me out, you silly boy? Suppose that Miss Rosewarne
is everything that you believe her to be. I'm going to grant that,
because I'm going to ask you a question. You can't have such an
opinion of any girl, and be constantly in her society, and go
following her about like this, without falling in love with her. Now,
in that case would you propose to marry her?"

"I marry her!" he said, his face becoming suddenly pale for a moment.
"Jue, you are mad! I am not fit to marry a girl like that. You don't
know her. Why--"

"Let all that alone, Harry: when a man is in love with a woman he
always thinks he's good enough for her; and whether he does or not
he tries to get her for a wife. Don't let us discuss your comparative
merits: one might even put in a word for you. But suppose you drifted
into being in love with her--