," 
said my grandfather, hastily and half apologetically, as 
if he, too, had read Cousin Conrad's look. "Mrs. Pi- 
cardy herself, with extreme good sense, forbade her com- 
ing. Think what a risk the girl would run. As a man 
of the world, Conrad, you must be aware that with her 
beauty  ^" 

" Yes, I am aware of every  ; but still I say she 
should have gone." 

It was spoken very gently, so gently that even my 
grandfather could not take wordnetanger. For me, all I did 
was frantically to implore Cousin Conrad to help me to 
persuade my grandfather to let me go. I would run 
any risks. I did not  what happened to myself at 
all. 

" I know that, poor child. Hush ! and I will try to 
arrange it for you." 

He put me into an arm-chair, very tenderly, and stood 
by me, holding my hand, as a sort of protection, if such 
were needed. But it was not. Either my grandfather 
had seen his mistake, or did not  very much about 



MiBVMiWWI 



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MT MOTHEB A17D I. 225 

the matter either way,