“No,” answered Madame, laughing outright, “indeed he doesn’t.  Did you ever know of a man discovering anything that wasn’t right under his nose?”

“And I am safe with-with—­”

“With everybody but Isabel.  She may be foolish, but she’s a woman, and even a woman can see around a corner.”

“Thank you for telling me,” said Rose, after a little; “for giving me time.  It was like you.”

“I’m glad I could, but remember, I haven’t told you, officially.  Let her tell you herself.”

Rose nodded.  “Then I’ll come down just as soon as I can.”

“With white gloves on, dear, and flags flying.  Make your old aunt proud of you now, won’t you?”

“I’ll try,” she answered, humbly, then quickly closed the door.

Meanwhile Colonel Kent, most correctly attired, was making a formal call upon his prospective daughter-in-law, and the list had scarcely been begun.  Isabel sat in the living room, trying not to show that she was bored.  The Colonel had come in, ready to receive her into his house and his heart, but Isabel had shaken hands with him coolly, and accepted shrinkingly the fatherly kiss he stooped to bestow upon her forehead.

He had tried several preliminary topics of conversation, which had been met with chilling monosyllables, so he plunged into the heart of the subject, with inward trepidation.

“I told Allison this morning that I owed him my thanks for bringing me a daughter.”

“Yes,” said Isabel, placidly.

“The old house needs young voices and the sound of young feet,” the Colonel went on.

Isabel began to speak, then hesitated and relapsed into silence.  Mr. Boffin came in, purring loudly, and rubbed familiarly against the Colonel, leaving a thin coating of yellow hair.

“It seems to be the moulting season for cats,” laughed the Colonel, observing the damage ruefully.

Isabel moved restlessly in her chair, but said nothing.  The pause had become awkward when the Colonel rose to take his leave.

“I hope you may be happy,” he said, gravely, “and make our old house happier for your coming.”

“Oh,” returned Isabel, quickly, “I hadn’t thought of that.  I hadn’t thought of—­of living there.”

“The house is large,” he ventured, puzzled.

“Mamma has always said,” remarked Isabel, primly, “that no house was large enough for two families.”

Colonel Kent managed to force a laugh.  “You may be right,” he answered.  “At least, everything shall be arranged to your liking.”

He had said good-bye and was on his way out, when Francesca came down from Rose’s room.  Seeing her, he waited for a moment.  Isabel had gone into the library and closed the door.

“Whence this haste?” queried Madame, with a lightness which was just then difficult to assume.  “Were you going without seeing me?”

“I had feared I would be obliged to,” he returned, gallantly.  “I was calling upon my future daughter-in-law,” he added, in a low tone, as they went out on the veranda.