Of the relations in which St. Quentin stood to the two; neither had given any particular thought until that moment. Kate surprised the look in St. Quentin’s eyes and the response in Carolina’s attitude. Carolina had never appeared to her friend "so nearly human," as she expressed it to herself, as at that moment. It gave her two distinct shocks of surprise. One, that Carolina was, for the first time in her life, really interested in something, and therefore she was honest in wishing to be poor and left free to pursue her idea. The other, and a far more disquieting one, was the fact that St. Quentin’s glance at Carolina had brought a distinct pang to Kate’s heart. She regarded both emotions with dismay. They threatened an upheaval in her life. She dropped her muff, and, as St. Quentin did not even see it, she stooped hastily for it herself, murmuring: "That let’s me down hard!" But with characteristic energy she wasted no time in repining nor even in analyzing her emotions. She was not yet sure whether she was experiencing wounded vanity or the first pangs of a love-affair. She was extraordinarily healthy-minded and instinctively loyal. It was this latter feeling which prompted her to leave herself out of the matter, for the present, at least, and to be sure wherein lay her friend’s happiness before she proceeded further. As she and St. Quentin left the house together, they met Sherman Lee just coming up the steps, looking pale and anxious. "Is Carol at home?" he inquired, eagerly, and before they could reply, added, "and alone?" "Yes, she is," answered Kate, "and if you hurry, you will be in time to get a cup of tea." He thanked them and ran hastily up the steps. "How I admire a woman’s tact," said St. Quentin, giving her a grateful glance. "How do you mean?" asked Kate to gain time, though the quick colour flew to her face. "My man’s first idea would have been to ask Sherman what the matter was--he was plainly distraught--" "And to offer to help him!" said Kate. "Perhaps. But your woman’s quickness leaped ahead of my blundering intentions with the instinctive knowledge that any cognizance of his manner, no matter how friendly, would be unwelcome. Therefore you sent him away with the comforting assurance in his mind that we had noticed nothing amiss. Thus, in an instant, you saved the feelings and kept intact the _amour propre_ of two men." "That’s what women are for!" said Kate, bluntly. CHAPTER V. BROTHER AND SISTER Carolina had left the drawing-room before Sherman sought her there, but on receipt of a message from him that he wished to see her immediately in the library, she once more descended the stairs to wait for him.