"Him?" said the young man.

"Uncle," explained the girl. "It's a shocking thing, a wicked thing, to
try and upset a steady young man like you. Aunt is quite put out about
it, and I feel the same as she does."

"But," gasped the astonished Mr. Sharp, "how did you?"

"Aunt heard him," said Miss Garland. "She was just going into the room
when she caught a word or two, and she stayed outside and listened. You
don't know what a lot she thinks of you."

Mr. Sharp's eyes opened wider than ever. "I thought she didn't like me,"
he said, slowly.

"Good gracious!" said Miss Garland. "Whatever could have put such an
idea as that into your head? Of course, aunt isn't always going to let
uncle see that she agrees with him. Still, as if anybody could help--"
she murmured to herself.

"Eh?" said the young man, in a trembling voice.

"Nothing."

Miss Garland walked along with averted face; Mr. Sharp, his pulses
bounding, trod on air beside her.

"I thought," he said, at last "I thought that Jack Butler was a favourite
of hers?"