Kitty nodded. "And now, of course, I know there's nothing in it. Oh! I do beg your pardon!" she said, eagerly. "I never meant to say anything rude to you. And I must go!" She looked up at an open window on the second floor of the house. The Dean supposed it was the nursery, and began to ask after the boy. But before he could frame his question she was gone, flying over the grass with a foot that scarcely seemed to touch it.
"Poor child, poor child!" murmured the Dean, in a most genuine distress. But it was not the boy he was thinking of.
Presently, however, he was overtaken by Miss French, of whom he inquired how the baby was.
Margaret hesitated. "He seems to lose strength," she said, sadly. "The doctor declares there is no danger, unless—"
"Unless what?"
"Oh! but it's so unlikely!" was her hasty reply. "Don't let's think of it."
Kitty was just giving a last look at herself in the large mirror which lined half one of the sides of her room when Ashe invaded her. She glanced at him askance a little, and when the maid had gone Kitty hurriedly gathered up gloves and fan and prepared to follow her.
"Kitty—one word!"
He caught her in his arm, and held her while he looked down upon her sparkling dress and half-reluctant face. "Kitty, do be nice to that old fellow to-night! It's only for two nights. Take him in the right way, and make a conquest of him—for good. He's been very decent to me in our walk—though you did say such extraordinary things to him this afternoon. I believe he really wants to make amends."