"Yes," he carelessly answered, "therefore I shall go out before the heat of the day." "Quite right." "I shall even go now." "Of course, but what else?" "What else?" "Yes; do you not take Daisy with you?" "If you can spare her." "Of course I can," replied Kate, whose clouded face immediately brightened, "child, why are you not ready?" What could I do but comply, and again go out walking with Cornelius? I resolved, however, that it should not be so on the following day. I declined accompanying him, giving him my reason, to which he submitted with a silent smile. I even managed to send him off without the knowledge of his sister. He had not long been gone when she came up from the kitchen where she had been engaged. She gave a rapid look round the room, and said hastily: "Where is Cornelius?" "He is gone out sketching, Kate," I replied without looking up from my work. "Why did not you go with him?" I did not answer. "Did he not ask you?" "I did not like to leave you." "Did he ask you?" "Yes, he did." "Do you know where he is?" "He said he would go down the beach." "Well, then, put on your bonnet and be off." I remonstrated, but she was peremptory. I felt the kindness hidden beneath her imperative ways, and, as I rose and passed by her, I could not help giving her a kiss, and saying: "How good you are, Kate." "And how foolish you and he are," she replied, smiling, "not to make the most of this good time." "Why, Kate, we have a whole summer before us, and with it I trust, plenty of fine weather." She told me not to stand dallying there; in a few minutes I was ready, and running down the path that led to the sands. To my surprise, I found Cornelius quietly sitting on a rock at the base of a cliff, and smoking a cigar. He rose on seeing me, came to meet me, and as he took my arm, said: "How long you were." "Did you expect me?" "Of course I did." "But you could not know Kate would send me?" "But I could guess it." "And if she had not sent me, Cornelius?" "I should have gone to fetch you." "Then it seems it is quite a settled matter that I must go out with you every day?" Cornelius stopped short, and looking at me, said earnestly: "Do you object, Daisy?" "Ah," I replied, with a remorseful sigh, "you know very well I only like it too much."