candle. What a good little girl! But perhaps you take a doll to bed," he
added mockingly, "or suck your thumb."

Halcyone did not answer, her eyes, benign as a goddess's, looked him
through and through--and Cheiron leaned back in his chair and puffed
volumes of smoke while he chuckled delightedly:

"Take care, John--you will come off second best, for Halcyone can see
the other side of your head."

For some unaccountable reason, John Derringham felt annoyed; but it was
too contemptible to be annoyed by a child, so he laughed as he answered
condescendingly:

"There, I will not tease her. I expect she hates me already--" and he
pushed his hat back from his eyes.

"No," said Halcyone. "One only hates a thing one fears; hate implies
fear. I hated my last but one governess for a while--because she told
lies and was mean and she had the power to keep me in. But once I
reasoned about it, I grew quite indifferent and she had no effect upon
me at all."

"You have not had time to reason about me," returned John Derringham,
"but it is something that you don't hate me; I ought to feel pleased."

"I do not know that there is occasion for that," Halcyone remarked, "it
is all a level thing which does not matter. You are Mr. Carlyon's guest
and I expect will be staying some time--"