It was not a case of life and death. She really thought, considering she was doing him a favour, he might have a chat, and make the time pass pleasantly and agreeably, instead of letting her see how entirely his heart was wrapped up in another girl. Only that her word was passed, from which Anne never deviated, she would have thrown up the office she had undertaken, and have nothing more to do with it. Time passed on, not as it generally does, with swift fleet wings; but even to Anne, who did not care how it went, heavily and slowly, very much in the same way as the game of chess was progressing. Charles evinced his impatience by crossing his legs, uncrossing them, taking up a book and tossing over the pages; for not one word did he read or desire to; and finally, as the small French clock on the mantel-piece chimed six, he threw down the book and exclaimed impatiently-- "When the devil will that game be over?" Then catching Anne's astonished look, he laughed aloud, and said, "You do not often see me out of temper, cousin?" "True, but then I never recollect having seen it tried." "Or tried so severely as it is now." "Men have no patience, see how quietly I take it." "You! you have no interest in the matter." "Have I not? And pray may I ask do you suppose it is very pleasant for me to be sitting here doing nothing. There are Alfred and Mr. Hall, both in the morning room, alone, waiting to be talked to, and I might have them all to myself, for the next half hour, and certainly all the time I have been wasting on you and your affairs. Have a little more gratitude Sir, or you may get some one else to manage for you." "You are a good girl, Anne, but a shocking flirt." "Oh yes! abuse me as much as you like, it will do you good, and perhaps make you in a better temper; as I said before, men have no patience. As long as things go smoothly and quietly they are all right; but when things happen contrary or not exactly as they wish, they get into a rage, and do not know how to bear it like us poor women, who are taught it every hour of our lives." "I never remember to have heard such a piece of moral wisdom from your lips before Anne." They were here, much to the intense delight of Charles, interrupted by the voices of the chess players. "That was a very pretty checkmate," said Robert Vavasour, "so totally unexpected and unperceived." "Who has beaten?" asked Anne, going towards them, as Charles went out of the room, leaving her to do as best she could for him. "Mr. Vavasour," replied Mrs. Linchmore, "he always does." "Not always; you won two games of me last evening." "Or rather you allowed me to; but I do not mind being beaten sometimes, it is tiresome never to win." While the chess-men were being put away, Anne considered how she should begin her story, which, now it had come to the point, seemed more difficult than she had imagined. At length a bright idea struck her.