She spoke with a catch in her voice which made Agatha look up at her, and detect a rising colour.
“Nothing!” she repeated.
“Except an anonymous parcel, returning to the brothers in Canada the sum he had taken with him. Strangely, the clue was not followed up, and he is lost sight of! But Wilfred’s air, and still more his manner, is always recalling his cousin to me, and, Nag, dear, I could not bear to see Vera go through the same trial by my exposing her to the intercourse. Not that I know any harm of Wilfred, but his parents could not like anything of the kind.”
“Certainly not! Yes, I suppose you are right, dear old Maidie.” But Agatha pondered over those words that had slipped out, “the same trial.”
CHAPTER XXI—THE ELECTRICIANS
“Thou shalt have the air
Of freedom. Follow and do me service.”—“The Tempest.”
“Is Agatha in?” asked Dolores Mohun, jumping off her bicycle as she saw Magdalen, on a frosty day the next Christmas vacation, in her garden.
“She is doing scientific arithmetic with Thekla; giving me a holiday, in fact! You University maidens quite take the shine out of us poor old teachers.”
“Ah! if we can give shine we can’t give substance. But I want to borrow Nag, if you have no objection.”
“Borrow her! I am sure it is something she will like.”