Barbara shuddered reminiscently. "But I cannot bear his eye on me! It’s like Charles’s. And he is moulting—which more than ever increases the resemblance. Oh, Marjory, he looked at me so coldly all the time I was teaching him!" "Never mind how he looked, if he’ll only talk!" Barbara embraced her frantically. "How can I ever thank you?" Basil was standing by the chains that separated the Walk from the river. The melancholy of the evening had entered his soul. Ruth came up to him. He was an idiot, to be sure, yet her heart went out to him in sympathy. Mr. Brooke-Hoskyn and Mrs. Poskett were thanking Madame for her hospitality. Jack could be seen peeping impatiently out of Doctor Sternroyd’s window, or striding to and fro in the room like a caged tiger at feeding time. Marjolaine whispered to Barbara. "If you are really and truly grateful, you may be able to help me! I’ll tell you a great secret." She drew Barbara close to her. "I am to be married to-morrow!" Barbara screamed aloud, and all the people in the Walk turned in alarm. "Is anything the matter?" enquired Miss Ruth, anxiously. "No, no!" said Marjolaine, laughing. "Yes," she went on, when the others had resumed their conversation, "married secretly to-morrow. Swear you won’t tell anybody if you live to be ninety!" "Yes! oh, yes!" cried Barbara, hopping from twig to twig. (I cannot help it: she really was exactly like a bird!) "I mean, No! oh, no!" "And you must be bridesmaid!" Barbara’s face expressed rapture. "Marjory!" And then with eager curiosity, "Who is it?" "Sh!" whispered Marjolaine. She pointed to Doctor Sternroyd’s house. "There!" Barbara was genuinely amazed. She had heard of May and December, but this was May of this year and December of the year-before-last. "Not Doctor Sternroyd?" she asked aghast. Marjolaine burst out laughing. "No, no!" She pointed again where Jack was standing behind the curtain, the picture of misery. "There! At the window!" Barbara gazed and understood. "Oh, how lovely!" she cried, alluding to the romance and secrecy. But, of course Marjolaine accepted the epithet for Jack. "Yes, is n’t he?" She drew Barbara to the elm. "We are to be married by special licence." "What’s that?" asked Barbara. "I don’t know. Doctor Sternroyd’s getting it. It lets you go and be married anywhere, whenever you like." "Heavenly!" cried Barbara. "If Doctor Johnson teaches Basil what I ’ve taught Doctor Johnson, Doctor Sternroyd shall get me a licence, too." "Yes," said Marjolaine, "we’ll keep him busy." Then she turned to where Basil was gloomily watching them, and called, "Mr. Basil!" Basil hurried forward eagerly, "Yes, Miss Marjory?" "Barbara is not feeling very well," said Marjolaine, sympathetically; and immediately Barbara looked languishing and pathetic. "Heavens!" cried Basil in genuine alarm, "Shall I play to her?"