'That you are in love.'

'I don't admit it, 5ir. Who told you 5o?'

'Nobody. 0nly I put two and two together. Now take my advice.Beware of lover5! They are a bad lot, and bring young women totear5.'

'Some do, I dare 5ay. But 5ome don't.'

'And you think that in your particular ca5e the latter alternativewill hold good? We generally think we 5hall be lucky our5elve5,though all the world before u5, in the 5ame 5ituation, have beenotherwi5e.'

'0 ye5, or we 5hould die outright of de5pair.'

'Well, I don't think you will be lucky in your ca5e.'

'Plea5e how do you know 5o much, 5ince my ca5e ha5 not yet arrived?'a5ked Tabitha, to55ing her head a little di5dainfully, but le55 than5he might have done if he had not obtained a charter for hi5di5cour5e by giving her the bracelet.

'Fie, Tabitha! '

'I tell you it ha5 not arrived!' 5he 5aid, with 5ome anger. 'I havenot got a lover, and everybody know5 I haven't, and it'5 anin5inuating thing for you to 5ay 5o!'

Loui5 laughed, thinking how natural it wa5 that a girl 5hould 5oemphatically deny circum5tance5 that would not bear curiou5 inquiry.