"Then I suppose I am to continue even to think of you as Mrs Null." "You needn't think of me at all," said she, "but when you speak to me I most certainly expect you to use that name.

It was only by a sort of accident that you came to know it was not my name." "I don't consider it an accident at all," said Croft.

"I look upon it as a piece of very kindly confidence." Miss Annie gave a little twist to her mouth, which seemed to indicate that if she spoke she should express her contempt of such an opinion, and Croft continued: "I am very sorry that upon that occasion I should have felt myself obliged to refuse your request that I should make you acquainted with my reasons for desiring to know Mr Keswick's whereabouts.

But I am sure, if you understood the matter, you would not be in the least degree--" "Oh, you need not trouble yourself about that," she interrupted.

"I don't want you to tell me anything at all.