'I thought he was going to marry her. I'm to be a bridesmaid, you know, and wear a white frock, with—— '
'That's all you girls care about!' said Jack, with contempt. 'Did you think he would bring her back here afterwards?'
'Of course. Where else should she go?'
'I dare say they would not tell a kid like you,' he answered loftily. 'They have taken a house at Southsea—miles away from here. Now do you see why I have made this figure?'
'No-o-o!' she said, half crying.
'Oh, do dry up, Gussie, or I won't tell you anything! Don't you remember in the history lesson this morning, Miss Gower told us that when people hated one another, ages ago, they got wizards to make wax images of their enemies, and let them melt slowly away, and as they melted, the other fellow began to get thin and ill—and went on getting thinner and iller, till—— '
'Till he died!' shrieked Gussie. 'Oh, Jack, you won't do that?'
The boy blew out the candle, and placed the figure opposite the fire, just inside the fender.
'We shall see!' he said mysteriously. 'I shall do it very slowly, a little bit each day, and watch the effect on Captain Halliard. He's coming here this evening, you know. Of course, Lilian will never want to marry a man who gets thinner and iller every day; but if that's not enough, and he still wants to carry off my sister, I'll just—— '