developed more will of my own than muscle.  There is no necessity for me ever to marry, and if I do it will be because I wish to, not because any one else wants me to.  Nothing would set me against a man more certainly than to see that he had allies who were manoeuvring in his behalf;” and she concluded with a kiss that robbed her words of a point too sharp, perhaps, for her sister’s feelings.  She knew Mrs. Muir’s peculiarities well enough, however, to believe that such words were needed, and she had intended to speak them in some form at the earliest opportunity.  Therefore she was glad that she could utter the warning so early and naturally in their new relations.  Nor was it uncalled for, since the thought of bringing Madge and Graydon together had already entered Mrs. Muir’s mind.  A scheme of this character would grow in fascination every hour.  Poor Madge was well aware that, with the best intentions, no one could more certainly blast her hopes than her sister, whose efforts would be unaccompanied by the nicest tact.  Moreover, any such attempts might involve the disclosure of her secret.

“Well, you have changed in every respect,” said Mary, looking at her wonderingly.

“For the better, I hope.  My feeling in this respect, however, seems to me perfectly natural.  I don’t see how a self-respecting girl could endure anything except a straightforward, downright suit, with plenty of time to make up her own mind.  I can do without the man who does not think me worthy of this, and could probably do without him any way.  Because a man wants to marry a girl is only one reason for assent, and there may be a dozen reasons to the contrary.”

“Why, Madge, how you talk!  When you left us it seemed as if any one might pick you up and marry you and you would not have spirit enough to say yes or no.  Have you had to refuse any one at Santa Barbara?  Perhaps you didn’t refuse.  You have told me so little of what was going on!”

“That isn’t fair to me, Mary.  I explained to you that I wished to give you a pleasant surprise.  To plan a pleasure for you was not unsisterly, was it?  I haven’t Miss Wildmere’s ambition for miscellaneous conquests.  Why should I write about men for whom I cared nothing and toward whom my manner should have made my spoken negative unnecessary?”

“Other girls would.  Well, it seems that their suit was downright enough to satisfy you.  Good gracious!  How many were there?”

Madge laughed, yawned, and her sister saw that her dark eyes were full of the languor of sleep, which added to their beauty.

“Oh, not many,” she drawled.  “I’ll gossip about them some time when not so tired.  I’ll indicate them by numerals.  Why should I babble their names in connection with what they called so sacred?  I wonder how many like sacred affairs had occurred before.  If I tell you the story of the wooing of Number One, Two, Three, and so on, that will answer just as well, won’t it?”