"Do you hear, sir!" cried Margaret merrily; "you are to love me."
"It will not be difficult to do that," he replied, "after what Lucy has told me about you. But how wonderful all this is! I have not yet recovered from my astonishment."
"Lucy," said Margaret, "will you spare Gerald for half an hour? I have something very particular to say to him."
Lucy smiled an assent, and Margaret, taking Gerald's arm, bade him lead her somewhere where they could flirt undisturbed. He led her to a retired part of the gardens.
"No one will disturb us here," he said, wondering what this strange young lady could have to say to him. If he had entertained any idea that she was serious in asking him to flirt with her, he was soon undeceived. They were no sooner alone than all her light manner vanished, and a sad expression came into her face.
"I am going to confide a secret to you," she said; "I may, with confidence, may I not? What I say to you now you will not speak of without my permission?"
"Certainly not, if you wish it," he replied, wondering more and more.
She paused for a moment, to master the emotion she experienced at the very thought of Philip, of whom she was about to speak.
"Don't think my questions strange," she said, "you will soon understand them. You have been to college?"
"Yes."