Walter could have bitten his tongue out for his imprudence.
“Oh, I did not mean to make a suggestion,” he said hurriedly.
“Every one means something they will not say. What? do you mean that I could give it back to Emberance?”
“No—no—I meant nothing. I have no right to say anything of the kind to you.”
“But you can tell me what you would do in my place. Could you give it up? would you give it up?”
“I don’t know. How can I tell how I should act under such a trial?” said Walter, feeling himself in a great scrape.
“But do you think a good person would give it up? Would that make it all right again? Walter, I will know if you think it would be right.”
“Well, yes, for myself—for a perfectly independent agent—I think I should not find much satisfaction in keeping it—I hope not. But a lady—that is perhaps different.”
“Why!” said Kate, to his great surprise, as her mother’s step sounded, “that would be very easy! I did not know that I could!”