assiduity.

"Why, the morning I had my white serge on. I'd been bathing, and
my hair was down to dry, and you said I looked like a mermaid."

"Do mermaids wear white serge?" I asked; but nobody took the
least notice of me--quite properly.

"And you told me such a lot about yourself; and then we found we
were late for lunch."

"Yes," said Hilary, suddenly forgetting the dog, "and your mother
gave me an awful glance."

"Yes, and then you told me that you were very poor, but that you
couldn't help it; and you said you supposed I couldn't
possibly--"

"Well, I didn't think--!"

"And I said you were a silly old thing; and then--" Mrs. Hilary
stopped abruptly.

"How lovely," remarked little Miss Phyllis in a wistful voice.

"And do you remember," pursued Mrs. Hilary, laying down her
embroidery and clasping her hands on her knees, "the morning you
went to see father?"

"What a row there was!" said Hilary.