I suppose it's your native sense and the books you read." Richard laughed softly, but there was a queer ring in the laugh, and he came over stumblingly and put his arm round his mother's shoulder.
"Never mind how I get such sense as I have, mother; I have so much time to think, it would be a wonder if I hadn't some.

But I think we had better try to study her, and coax her along, and not fob her off as a very inferior person, or we shall have our hands full in earnest.

My opinion is, she has got that which will save her and us too--a very high spirit, which only needs opportunity to develop into a remarkable thing; and, take my word for it, mother, if we treat her as a chieftainess, or princess, or whatever she is, and not simply as a dusky person, we shall come off better and she will come off better in the long run.

She is not darker than a Spaniard, anyhow." At this point Marion entered the room, and her mother rehearsed briefly to her what their talk had been.

Marion had had little sleep, and she only lifted her eyebrows at them at first.
She was in little mood for conciliation.