Howbeit, to cover his confusion, he seized upon the second idea that was
in his mind, and stammered, "Susy! Yes, I wanted to speak to you about
her." Mrs. Peyton held her breath, but the young man went on, although
hesitatingly, with evident sincerity. "Have you heard from any of her
relations since--since--you adopted her?"

It seemed a natural enough question, although not the sequitur she had
expected. "No," she said carelessly. "It was well understood, after the
nearest relation--an aunt by marriage--had signed her consent to Susy's
adoption, that there should be no further intercourse with the family.
There seemed to us no necessity for reopening the past, and Susy herself
expressed no desire." She stopped, and again fixing her handsome eyes on
Clarence, said, "Do you know any of them?"

But Clarence by this time had recovered himself, and was able to answer
carelessly and truthfully that he did not. Mrs. Peyton, still regarding
him closely, added somewhat deliberately, "It matters little now what
relations she has; Mr. Peyton and I have complete legal control over her
until she is of age, and we can easily protect her from any folly of
her own or others, or from any of the foolish fancies that sometimes
overtake girls of her age and inexperience."

To her utter surprise, however, Clarence uttered a faint sigh of relief,
and his face again recovered its expression of boyish happiness. "I'm
glad of it, Mrs. Peyton," he said heartily. "No one could understand
better what is for her interest in all things than yourself. Not," he
said, with hasty and equally hearty loyalty to his old playmate, "that
I think she would ever go against your wishes, or do anything that she
knows to be wrong, but she is very young and innocent,--as much of a
child as ever, don't you think so, Mrs. Peyton?"