"Remember—what?" inquired Kate; "there, do you see how she won't answer?"
"You obstinate child!" said Cornelius, smiling, "don't you see I mean you to speak? Say all; tell Kate why I bade you remember."
"I was not to tell you that I had found him drawing," I said, turning to
Miss O'Reilly.
Her work dropped on her knees; she turned very pale; her look, keen and troubled, at once sought the calm face of her brother, who had again sunk into his indolent attitude, with his hand carelessly smoothing my hair. Miss O'Reilly tried to look composed, and observed, in a voice which all her efforts could not prevent from being tremulous and low, "Oh! you were drawing, Cornelius, were you?"
"Yes," he carelessly replied, "it amuses me in the morning."
"Oh, it amuses you very much, Cornelius?"
"Why, yes."
She took up her work; laid it down, rose, went up to her brother, and standing before him said, resolutely, "Cornelius, tell me the truth."
He sat up, and making her sit down by him, he calmly observed, "Why do you look so frightened, Kate?"
"The truth!" she exclaimed, almost passionately, "the truth!"