"I should be happy to have the benefit of your criticism," he said, laughing; "but don't make it too severe, please."
"Oh, no! I was only thinking that mamma, judging of her by myself, would not be half satisfied with such a bare statement of facts, and that I had better write a supplement, giving her more of the particulars."
"I highly approve the suggestion," he answered, "only stipulating that you shall not spend too much time over it, and shall read it to me when finished."
"I'm afraid it won't be worth your hearing."
"Let me judge of that. If not worth my hearing, can it be worth mamma's reading?"
"Perhaps so," she said with a blush; "because what I tell will be news to her, but not to you."
"Ah! I hadn't thought of that. But I shall want to hear it all the same, and take my turn at criticism."
"If you are not more severe than I was, I can stand it," she said. "And now please keep quiet till I am done."
He complied, lying back at his ease, and amusing himself with watching her, admiring the graceful pose of her figure, the pretty face bending over the paper, and the small, white, shapely hand that was gliding swiftly back and forth.
"Come," he said at last, "you are making quite too long a story of it."