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 to it, I long to say to you—but no, I have no right to speak. Ah," she added, trying to relapse into her usual careless manner, "of all people in the world, I am about the last fitted to give good advice."

"No, you are not," said Willis, with more eagerness than he often evinced. "What is it you long to say?"

"Why, just what the Quaker said to the Duchess of Buckingham, when he found her, two years after her husband's death, in a darkened room, hung with black, 'What, friend, hast thou not forgiven God Almighty yet?' And now I really must go to Charlie and his daisies," said Rachel, rising hastily and escaping, for she was half frightened at her own daring.

But thither Willis followed, staggered by her last stroke of wisdom, and slightly ashamed of her insight into his character, but flattered to the last degree by the interest she appeared to take in his happiness, and not at all aware that Charlie was at the bottom of all this plot against his querulousness.