"The mere fact that John danced with her does not prove that he is in any immediate danger of falling in love with her," he returned. "I don't suppose such an idea ever entered his head." Belle laughed. "I don't suppose it did," she agreed. "But I think she has the power to inspire the emotion in him. It would be regrettable if she succeeded in doing that without intending it." "It would," he allowed, and was silent for a space, recognising the inability of John's friends to safeguard him against the danger if Miss Peggy Annersley chose to work in opposition to them. "She seems," he suggested hopefully, "to be quite kind and sincere." "She is an incorrigible little flirt," Belle replied, smiling at his rather obvious attempt to reassure her. "I know her a good deal better than you do." "All good women, I understand," he returned, recalling his wife's remarks on the same subject, "flirt, given the opportunity. Since you mention the propensity in connection with her, I have reason to believe she flirts with Robert. He has a poor opinion of her courage and a great idea of her amiability." "I can forgive her for flirting with Robert," said Belle; "he is such a quaint old dear. But... John!" "I refuse," said the vicar with gentle firmness, "to entertain any unworthy thought of her in that connection. She has probably succeeded in discovering in John what you and I have failed in discovering--the vein of youthfulness he has concealed so successfully all these years. Forty is the prime of life. It will not surprise me in the least if John proves himself to be more youthful than Miss Annersley." "She is only twenty-eight," said Belle. "John is younger than that in experience," he replied. "I am beginning to believe that at heart he is still a boy. No man who was not a boy at heart could have concentrated so much energy and earnest endeavour upon an exercise at once unfamiliar and distasteful. A boy will do what he dislikes doing if he recognises that the doing is expected of him; a man studies in preference his inclination. You cannot urge that John's inclination tends, towards dancing." "No," she answered. "But I can dispute your point, because plainly John's inclination tends towards pleasing Peggy." "Well, yes," the vicar conceded. "I begin to believe you are right."