"No!" said Marjolaine, rather shocked. "That would not do at all. I could n’t." The Eyesore was very near them. Marjolaine saw him. "Hush!" she whispered, and drew Barbara away. "Hush! The Eyesore!" Barbara looked from her to the Eyesore and back again with bewilderment. "You don’t mean he ’s to be Cupid’s messenger!" Marjolaine laughed. "No, no. Listen." She sank her voice to a mysterious whisper. In spite of her own sorrow she was enjoying herself immensely. "Listen, and try not to scream." Barbara quivered with excitement. Marjolaine went on, "Doctor Johnson talks, does n’t he?" Barbara looked at her in amazement. "Doctor John—?" "And he learns easily?" "But what—?" "Let Basil hear it from him!" said Marjolaine, triumphantly. "Hear what?" almost screamed Barbara. Marjolaine laughingly took her by the shoulders and shook her. "Oh, you little goose!" she cried. Then she added, very deliberately and clearly, "Teach the parrot to say—’Barbara loves you!’" Barbara did, I assure you, leap into the air, and Marjolaine had her hand over her mouth only just in time to stifle a scream which would have brought the entire Walk to its doors and windows. But Barbara was seized with instant remorse. She put Marjolaine away from her with a gesture which would have done credit to Mrs. Siddons. She spoke in a tone of mingled heroism and reproach: "Charles’s only gift, turned to such uses! Oh, Marjory!" Marjolaine was quite unabashed. "Would n’t Charles be pleased to know his gift had been the means of making you happy?" "From what I can remember of him, I should say decidedly not," said Barbara, rather snappishly. The Eyesore was now close to the Gazebo. "Look!" cried Marjolaine. "The Eyesore’s invading the whole Walk!" But little Barbara cared. Also her momentary remorse had entirely vanished. If she had been on a tree she would have hopped from branch to branch. As it was she hopped all across the lawn, clapping her hands and twittering. "Oh! I can’t bother about him!" she said. "Let him invade! Oh! it’s such a splendid idea! Oh! you ’re such a clever girl! Oh! my goodness, what shall I do?" Marjolaine was anxious on the Eyesore’s account. Were the Admiral to see him, there would be a terrible outburst of anger. "I’ll speak to him," she said, summoning all her courage, "I ’ll save him from Sir Peter’s wrath!" "No! no!" cried Barbara; "stick to business! Tell me more about the bird!" "Stand by me!" entreated Marjolaine. "Hold my hand!" "I daren’t! I’m frightened!" cried Barbara, "and—and—and I want to begin teaching the bird!" "Treacherous Barbara!" cried Marjolaine. But before the words were out of her mouth Barbara had scuttled into the house and slammed the door. And before Marjolaine had recovered from that shock the Eyesore had hurled his hat and smock into the Gazebo, and she was in Jack’s arms. *CHAPTER X*