"You must be starving," commiserated Ann, "I'll tell Maria to bring you in some supper at once. I've had mine." But she omitted to add she had hardly eaten anything at the little solitary meal which succeeded Eliot's departure. Maria's indignation as she carried out the half-touched dishes had been tinctured with a certain philosophic indulgence. "Ah, well!" she commented. "They do say folks that be mazed wi' love can't never fancy their victuals. Seems like tez true." In response to which Ann had merely laughed and kissed her weather-beaten old cheek. In true masculine fashion, it was not until the cravings of his inner man were satisfied that Robin began to observe anything unusual in the atmosphere. But when at last he had finished supper, and was filling his beloved pipe preparatory to enjoying that best of all smokes which follows a long day's riding and a cosy meal, it dawned upon him that there was something unaccustomed in Ann's air of suppressed radiance. She was hovering about him, waiting to strike a match for him to light up by, when the idea struck him. He regarded her attentively for a minute or two with his nice grey-green eyes and finally inquired in a tone of mild amusement: "What is it, sister mine? Has some one left us a fortune, or what? There's something odd about you to-night--an air of--_je ne sais quoi!_"--with an expansive wave of his hand. "'I'm engaged to be married, sir, she said,'" remarked Ann demurely. "Engaged? Great Scott! Who to?" Robin manifested all the unflattering amazement common to successive generations of brothers when confronted with the astounding fact that the apparently quite ordinary young woman whom they have hitherto regarded merely as a sisterly adjunct to life has suddenly become the pivot upon which some other man's entire happiness will henceforth turn. But afterwards, when he had had time to assimilate the unexpected news, he was ready to enter whole-heartedly into Ann's happiness--just as throughout all their lives he had been always ready to share with her either happiness or pain, like the good comrade he was. "I shall miss you abominably," he declared. "In fact, I shall forbid the banns if Coventry wants to carry you off too soon." "You absurd person!" She laughed and kissed him. "Why, living at Heronsmere, I shall be able to look after you both. Little brother shan't be neglected, I promise you!" They sat over the fire talking till the grandfather's clock in the corner struck twelve warning strokes. Robin knocked out the ashes of his pipe. "We'd better be thinking of turning in, old thing," he observed. "Even newly-engaged people require a modicum of sleep, I suppose"--smiling across at her. "We're not telling people we're engaged, yet," Ann. cautioned him. Robin looked up. "No? Why not?" he asked laconically. "I wanted--I thought it would be nice to have a few days just to ourselves," she replied uncertainly. "That's not the only reason." Ann hesitated.