"Softly, Frank," responded the old lady. "I don't think that _would_ have done her any good, or you either, for that matter! But, why have you changed towards her, Frank? I never thought you so false and fickle, my boy. She came in here to see me to-day, looking very excited and unhappy; and when she had sat down--there, in that very chair you are now sitting in," continued Miss Pimpernell, emphasising her words by pointing to the corner I occupied, "and I asked her soothingly what distressed her, she burst into tears, and sobbed as if her little heart would break. I declare, my boy," said the warm-hearted little body, with a husky cough, "I almost cried myself in company. However, I got it all out of her afterwards. It seems to me, Frank, that you have behaved very unkindly to her. She thought she had offended you in some way of which she declared that she was perfectly ignorant: she had asked you, she said, but you would not tell her--treating her as if she were a perfect stranger. She's a sensitive girl, Frank, and you have hurt her feelings to the quick! Now, what is the reason of this--do you care for her still?" "Care for her! Miss Pimpernell," I said. "Why I love her--although I did not intend telling you yet." "As if I didn't know all about that already," said the old lady, laughing cheerily. "Oh, you lovers, you lovers! You are just for all the world like a herd of wild ostriches, that stick their heads in the bush, and fancy that they are completely concealed from observation! All of you imagine, that, because you do not take people into your confidence, they are as blind as you are! Can't they see all that is going on well enough; don't your very looks, much less your actions, betray you? Why, Frank, I knew all about your case weeks ago, my boy!-- without any information from you or anybody else! Besides, you know, I _ought_ to have some _little_ experience in such matters by this time; for, every boy and girl in the parish has made me their confidante for years and years past!" and she laughed again. Miss Pimpernell was once more her cheery old self, quite restored to her normal condition of good humour. No one, I believe, ever saw her "put out" for more than five minutes consecutively at the outside; and very seldom for so long, at that. "Ah!" I ejaculated with a deep sigh, "I wish I had told you before. Now, it is too late!" "Too late!" she rejoined, briskly. "Too late! Nonsense; it's `never too late to mend.'" "It is in some cases," I said, as mournfully as Lady Dasher could have spoken; "and this is one of them!" It was all over, I thought, so, why talk about it any more? What was done couldn't be helped!