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assistant, but I don't like him, personally—never did."

"I don't want to think that anything that I say should lose him his situation—or whatever you call it," she remarked slowly. "That would seem—"

"No need to bother," interrupted Ransford. "He'll get another in two minutes—so to speak. Anyway, we can't have this going on. The fellow must be an ass! When I was young—"

He stopped short at that, and turning away, looked out across the garden as if some recollection had suddenly struck him.

"When you were young—which is, of course, such an awfully long time since!" said the girl, a little teasingly. "What?"

"Only that if a woman said No—unmistakably—once, a man took it as final," replied Ransford. "At least—so I was always given to believe. Nowadays—"

"You forget that Mr. Pemberton Bryce is what most people would call a very pushing young man," said Mary. "If he doesn't get what he wants in this world, it won't be for not asking for it. But—if you must speak to him—and I really think you must!—will you tell him that he is not going to get—me? Perhaps he'll take it finally from you—as my guardian."

"I don't know if parents and guardians count for much in these degenerate days," said Ransford. "But—I won't have him annoying you. And—I suppose it has come to annoyance?"

"It's very annoying to be asked three times by a man whom you've told flatly, once for all, that you