‘Oh, you’d want to be a sachem, or a chief, or a mystery-man at least; and we couldn’t permit that,’ cried Kate.
‘No; I crave admission as the humblest of your followers.’
‘Shall we put him to the test, Nina?’
‘How do you mean?’ cried the other.
‘Make him take a Ribbon oath, or the pledge of a United Irishman. I’ve copies of both in papa’s study.’
‘I should like to see these immensely,’ said Walpole.
‘I’ll see if I can’t find them,’ cried Kate, rising and hastening away.
For some seconds after she left the room there was perfect silence. Walpole tried to catch Nina’s eye before he spoke, but she continued steadily to look down, and did not once raise her lids.
‘Is she not very nice—is she not very beautiful?’ asked she, in a low voice.
‘It is of you I want to speak.’