"Bless the lad!" Blondin said, paternally.

"Oh, I manage to keep the appearance of doing exactly what the
others do," Nina hastened to say, "and I laugh and flirt just as
if that was the only thing in life! If people want to think I am a
butterfly, why, let them think so! My friend Miss Hawkes says that
I have two natures--but I don't know about that!"

She looked up at him to find his eyes fixed steadily upon her, and
flushed happily, with a fast-beating heart.

"With one of those natures I have nothing to do," Royal said. "But
the other I claim as my friend. Come, how about it? Are we going
to be friends? I am old enough to be your father, you know; you
may tell Mother that it is perfectly safe. When the right young
man comes to claim you, why, I'll resign my little friend with all
the good will in the world. But meanwhile, am I going to pick you
out some books, am I going to have some talks as wonderful as this
one now and then? No--not as wonderful, for of course this sort of
thing doesn't come twice in a lifetime! Will you give me your hand
on it--and your eyes? Good girl! And now I'll take you back to be
scolded for running away from your own friends for so long. I'm
dining with Mother to-morrow. Shall I see you?"

"Oh, yes--if Mother lets me come down!" fluttered Nina. "But, no--
we're to be at Granny's!" she remembered.

"Soon, then!" He left her in the circling group, but all the world
saw him kiss her hand. Nina wandered about in a daze of pleasure
and satisfaction for another half-hour, paying attentions to