"What is Simon doing, walking that horse up and down before the door?" she asked, as she sat down. "Have some of Jack's grand friends come to visit him so early?" "I did not know that I had any grand friends," said Jack. "I thought it might be Master Fleming," pursued Anne. "He seems to use our house as his own at all times." "If he does, he is no more free than welcome," said her father. "I ever esteem his visits an honor as well as a pleasure. But you are wrong this time. The pony is for no less a person than our Jack, who is about to ride into the country for some miles." "Indeed!" said Anne. "And what takes him into the country?" "Business," replied her father briefly. "Business of importance, which no one can well do but himself. Ask no questions, sweetheart, for more I cannot tell you." "I do not mean to ask any questions," said Anne, flushing. "I know well that I am the last person to be trusted, especially by Jack." "Do you say so, Anne?" asked Jack, turning full upon her, as his father left the room. "Methinks I have trusted you already farther than you were willing to have me, farther than I had reason to do, considering all things. But I do not mean to reproach you, dear sister," he added, repenting, the next moment, as he saw how Anne winced. "The business I go upon is not mine, or you should know all about it." "Nay, I have no desire to penetrate it," said Anne, coldly, but with eyes that flashed an angry fire. "I desire to enter into none of your secrets. I can guess its nature well, and will not even presume to warn you, though I know the terrible risk you are running. You are working to bring down ruin upon yourself and your father's house, fancying that you are having your own wilful way, while all the time you are being made a tool and a cat's-paw of, by craftier heads than your own." No lad of sixteen likes to be called a tool and a cat's-paw. Jack had his share of pride as well as Anne, and he had to bite his lip hard to repress an angry answer. He did repress it, however, and after a moment of silence answered quietly, "Anne, would you like to have anyone speak to you in that manner? Would you like it, for instance, if I were to call you a cat's-paw and spy of Father Barnaby?" "You have no right to call me so," said Anne. "I am no spy, and I will not submit to be called one." "You have no need to submit, for I have no intention of calling you a spy or any other disagreeable name," said Jack, smiling. "I only put the case for your consideration. As to my business, all this secrecy which nevertheless is needful at present, is just making a mountain out of a very small molehill. Come, Anne, do not let us quarrel just as I am going away. Why should we not be loving and gentle to one another as brother and sister should be?" "Because you are a heretic," replied Anne. "It is my duty to try to bring you back to the faith, and failing that to treat you as—"