"I suppose it is," he laughed. "Courage is the first quality in life, don't you think? And fidelity the next."
"Fidelity?" asked Mary.
"Oh, I don't mean automatic fidelity. I mean faithful to the living spark," he replied a little hastily.
"Don't you try to be too much of a spark, young man," snapped Aunt Matilda, arousing from her statuesque offence in order to let nothing pass by her.
"I promise you I won't try," he laughed.
Mary glanced at him quickly—then down at her fingers.
"I think fidelity is a great problem," she said softly.
"Pray, why?" bounced Aunt Matilda. "You give your word, and you stick to it."
"Oh, it's not just simple word-faithfulness, Mrs. Watson," said Jack. He had Mary in mind.
"Well, I suppose I have still to live and learn," said Aunt Matilda.