"
"Oh, no! But I am willing to admit that over Mr. Galton's departure I
did come very near shedding tears--of joy."
"I hope my little girl will have no cause to shed any other kind."
"His little girl" endeavoured to look oracular as she replied: "That
will largely depend upon the nature of the information you are about
to communicate to me."
"It is only a request, my dear! I wish for your own sake that you
would have as little as possible to do with that young Dunlop."
There was an appreciable interval of silence. Rose stared hard at the
fire. Her father added, "Of course, I do not wish you to do anything
unreasonable."
"I am sure of that," said the girl softly, "nor anything unkind."
The gentleman stirred a little uneasily in his chair. "You must
remember," he said, "that the greatest unkindness one can do another
is to encourage false hopes in him."
"How would you like me to treat him?"
"Oh, my dear child, I can't tell. You know perfectly well yourself. Be
preoccupied, absent-minded, indifferent, when he comes. Make him
repeat what he says, and then answer him at random. Look as though you
had a thousand things to distract your attention, and treat him as
though he were the chair on which he is sitting.
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