"You didn't tell him to his face, Toney?"

"Why not? It's much better to be honest about it, and besides I put it gingerly. I told him it couldn't be that. But I did bless you when you shouted for me, couldn't have found anything else to say, either of us, not for anything! so I just ran!" Sir Evas laughed till the tears ran down his face.

"Edward Lang won't forgive you in a hurry, besides, I daresay he does like you, and he's not half a bad fellow, only rather extravagant, and given to—— Ehem——"

"That's it, he wants to pay his bills, that shows he's honest, anyhow, doesn't it? but I haven't as much liking for him as I have for Jim. That can't be love, can it, uncle?"

"I should surmise not."

"But you might know, because you once made love, didn't you?"

"Ye-es—but it was different. We weren't romantic in those days."

They went on in silence for a little while, then Toney remarked,

"Do you know, Uncle Evas, you might have told me about a pretty romance going on near us."

"Whose, Toney?"