Very grave, very gentle Mr. Falkirk’s manner and tone were; considerate of her, and very humble concerning himself.

’Why, Sir!’—­she looked at him, the roses waking up in her cheeks as she caught his meaning more fully.  Then her eyes fell again, and she said softly—­’How do you mean, Mr. Falkirk?  There is nobody in the world whom I trust as I do you.’

’I have never a doubt of that, my dear.  But to make the trust avail you or me, practically, could you let me know the state of affairs?’

She moved restlessly in her chair, drawing a long breath or two.

’You say such strange things, sir.  I do assure you, Mr. Falkirk, I am ensconced in the very middle of one of those classes.  And that not the dangerous one,’ she added with a laugh, though the flushes came very frankly.  ’If that is what you are afraid of.’

‘You are in about as dangerous a class as any I know,’ said Mr. Falkirk, dryly; ’the class of people that everybody wants to marry.  Miss Hazel, you are known to be the possessor of a very large propriety.’

’Am I, sir?  And is that what makes me so attractive?  I thought that there must be some explanation of so sweeping a compliment from your lips.’

A provoked little smile came upon Mr. Falkirk’s lips, but they grew grave again.

’So, Miss Hazel, how are you to know the false magician from the true knight?’

’He must be a poor knight who would leave the trouble on my hands,’ said the girl, with her young ideas strong upon her.  ’If he does not prove himself, Mr. Falkirk, “I’ll none of him!” ’

’How shall a man prove to you that he does not want Chickaree and your money, my dear?’

‘Instead of me.  I think—­I should know,’ she answered slowly, so much absorbed in the question that she almost forgot its personal bearing.  ’Mr. Falkirk, false and true cannot be just alike?’

’Remember that in both cases so much is true.  The desire to win your favour, and therefore the effort to please, are undoubted.’

’Mr. Falkirk, you must be the assayer!  Suppose you tell me now about all these people here, to begin with.  I have not seen much that reminded me of magic yet,’ she said with a curl of her lips.

‘What people?’ said Mr. Falkirk, hastily.

’What people?  Oh, I forgot—­you were not at Mme. Lasalle’s to-day.  But I thought you knew everybody here before we came.’

‘I shall not be with you everywhere,’ Mr. Falkirk went on; ’that would suit neither me nor you.  The safe plan, Miss Hazel, would be, when you think anybody is seeking your good graces, to ask me whether he has gained mine.  I will conclude nothing of your views in the matter from any such confidence.  But I will ask you to trust me thus far,—­and afterwards.’

‘You mean, sir, whether—­he has gained mine or not?’

Mr. Falkirk answered this with one of his rare smiles, shrewd and sweet, benignant, and yet with a play of something like mirth in the dark, overhung eyes.  It was a look which recognized all the difficulty of the situation and the subject, for both parties.