She could not make up her mind what to do. While she hesitated, the opportunity of returning the ring was gone. Watt had disappeared into the bushes. CHAPTER XVIII. DISCOVERIES. A BEAUTIFUL summer evening. Eve from her window saw Jasper in the garden; he was trimming the flower-beds which had been neglected since Christopher Davy had been ill. The men were busy on the farm, too busy to be taken off for flower gardening. Barbara had said one day that it was a pity the beds were not put to rights; and now Jasper was attending to her wishes during her absence. Mr. Jordan was out. He had gone forth with his hammer, and there was no telling when he would return. Eve disliked being alone. She must talk to someone. She brushed her beautiful hair, looked in the glass, adjusted a scarf round her shoulders, and in a coquettish way tripped into the garden and began to pick the flowers, peeping at Jasper out of the corners of her eyes, to see if he were observing her. He, however, paid no attention to what she was doing. In a fit of impatience, she flung the auriculas and polyanthus she had picked on the path, and threw herself pouting into the nearest garden seat. ‘Mr. Jasper!’ she called; ‘are you so mightily busy that you cannot afford me a word?’ ‘I am always and altogether at your service, dear Miss Eve.’ ‘Why have you taken to gardening? Are you fond of flowers?’ ‘I am devoted to flowers.’ ‘So am I. I pick them.’ ‘And throw them away,’ said Jasper, stooping and collecting those she had strewn on the path. ‘Well—I have not the patience to garden. I leave all that to Barbara and old Christopher. I wish things generally, gardens included, would go along without giving trouble. I wish my sister were home.’ ‘To relieve you of all responsibility and trouble.’ ‘I hate trouble,’ said Eve frankly, ‘and responsibility is like a burr in one’s clothes—detestable. There! you are laughing at me, Mr. Jasper.’ ‘I am not laughing, I am sighing.’ ‘Oh, you are always sad.’ ‘I do not like to hear you talk in this manner. You cannot expect to have your sister at your elbow throughout life, to fan off all the flies that tease you.’ ‘If I have not Bab, I shall have someone else.’ ‘Miss Barbara might marry—and then——’ ‘Barbara marry!’ exclaimed Eve, and clapped her hands. ‘The idea is too absurd. Who would marry her? She is a dear, darling girl, but——’ ‘But what, missie?’ ‘I dare say I shall marry.’ ‘Miss Eve! listen to me. It is most likely that you will be married some day, but what then? You will have a thousand more cares on your shoulders than you have now, duties you will be forced to bear, troubles which will encompass you on all sides.’