"Yes, my dear, I should feel happier--I should feel that Richard was settled. That he had a good, true, dutiful wife, who would watch over him and guide him when I am gone." "Oh, aunty, aunty, aunty," cried the girl, turning and twining her arms round her neck to kiss her tenderly, "you are low-spirited and upset with that terrible trouble to-day. You must not talk like that. Why, you look so young and bright and happy sometimes, that it's nonsense for you to say dear Dick wants some one to look after him. Of course we shall be married some day--when Dick likes; but we never think of such a thing--at least, I'm sure I don't." There was a pleasant, rosy flush on the girl's face as she spoke, and just then a cough in the hall made her jump up, exclaiming-- "Here's Dick!" Mr Richard Glaire swung the door open directly after, gave a scowl round the room, nodded shortly at his mother, threw himself into an easy-chair, picked up the book Eve had been reading, glanced at it, and with an impatient "pish!" jerked it to the other side of the room. Eve laughed, made a pretty little grimace at him, and, removing the cosy, hastened to pour out the tea, one cup of which she held ready, evidently expecting that Richard would come and take it to his mother. Then, seeing that he did not pay any heed to her look, she carried the cup herself, round by the back of the young man's chair, giving his hair a playful twitch as she went by. "Don't!" shouted Richard, angrily, and then in an undertone muttered something about "confounded childishness," while Eve bent over her aunt and whispered softly-- "He'll be better when he has had some tea, aunt dear. He's upset with thinking about to-day." Mrs Glaire nodded, and watched the pretty, graceful form as Eve tripped back, to stand for a moment or two behind Richard's chair, resting her hands upon his shoulders as she whispered tenderly-- "Does your face hurt you, Dick dear?" "Bother!" growled Dick, pouring the cup of tea to which he had helped himself down his throat. "Here, fill this." Eve took the cup and saucer, only smiling back at him, and refilling it, said playfully-- "Dick's cross, aunty. I'm going to give him double allowance of sugar to sweeten his temper." "I wish you'd pour out the tea, and not chatter so," he cried, impatiently. "What with your tongue and hers, there isn't a bit of peace to be had in the place." Eve looked pained, but the look passed off, and without attending to her own wants, she took some bread and butter across to where Richard sat scowling at the wall. "Won't you have something to eat, Dick dear?" she said, affectionately. "NO!" There are a good many ways of saying "no." This was one of the most decisive, and was uttered so sharply that Eve forbore to press that which she had brought upon her cousin, and carried it to her aunt.