CHAPTER XVI.
"IT REALLY IS A GOOD IDEA, DIE" It is most certain that woman's most womanly affections are the likeness of affections which have their pure and perfect fountain in the nature of God.
-- PULSFORD.
After supper that evening Malcolm found himself alone with Dinah.
Elizabeth and Cedric had gone down to the Pool to find a book she had left there in the afternoon, and he had been on the point of following them when he saw a wistful look in Miss Templeton's eyes, and immediately sat down again.
"You want to speak to me," he said pleasantly.

He was quite aware that Elizabeth had carried off her brother with intent and purpose, and smiled to himself over her little ruse.
"She is very clever.

I wonder if the missing book is a figment of her imagination," he thought; but in this he wronged her, for that little red-edged copy of Keble's Christian Year was very dear to Elizabeth.
"Yes, I want to speak to you," returned Dinah, and her tone was rather anxious and flurried.

"The time is growing so short now, and to-morrow there will not be a moment, and so Elizabeth said--" and here again a flickering smile played over Malcolm's face.
"And she has carried Cedric off because you wanted to speak to me about him." Dinah was so hesitating in her manner that he thought it best to finish her sentence for her.

"I hope nothing is troubling you on his account.