because it would have been so very impossible to explain. But he was too honest. He at once didn't, and felt a little shy for five minutes; then recovered, and hugged himself with a fearful joy at the thought that she had known his eyes had kissed her dear beautiful hands; then stole a look at her calm face, so completely unmoved in its classic beauty, and thought he must have been mistaken; only—what on earth else could she have said "Don't!" about, at that moment? 

 But Mollie was there, then; so no explanations were possible. Now at last, thank goodness, Mollie had gone, and his own seven days had begun. This was the first day; and he was going to tell her everything. There was absolutely nothing he would not be able to tell her. The delight of this fairly swept the Boy off his feet. He had kept on the curb so long; and he was not used to curbs of any kind. 

 He lay back, his hands behind his head, and watched the Aunt's kind face, through half-closed lids. His brown eyes were shining, but very soft. When the Aunt looked at them, she quickly looked away. 

 "How could you think the attraction would be gone?" he said.  "It was always you, I wanted, not your niece. Good heavens! How can you have thought it was Mollie, when it was you—YOU, just only you, all the time?" 

 The Aunt raised her beautiful eyebrows and looked him straight in the face. 

 "Is this a proposal?" she asked, quietly. 

 "Of course it is," said the Boy; "and jolly hard it has been, having to wait two whole weeks to make it. I want you to marry me, Christobel. I dare say you think me a cheeky young beggar to suggest it, point blank. But I want you to give me seven days; and, in those seven days, I am going to win you. Then it will seem to you, as it does to me, the only possible thing to do." 

 His brown eyes were wide open now; and the glory of the love shining out from them dazzled her. She looked away. 

 Then the swift colour swept over the face which all Cambridge considered classic in its stern strong beauty, and she laughed; but rather breathlessly. 

 "You amazing boy!" she said.  "Do you consider it right to take away a person's breath, in this fashion? Or are you trying to be funny?" 

 "I have no designs on your breath," said the Boy; "and it is my misfortune, but not my fault, if I seem funny."  Then he sat forward in his chair, 

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