She had never heard her Saint Pere speak so severely and sarcastically; and she feared that if he knew the truth he would be terribly angry.

She had never seen him angry; but she knew well enough that that passion, when it rose in him in a righteous cause, would be very awful to see; and she was one of those women who always grow angry when they are frightened.

So she was angry at his calling her Miss St.Just; she was angry because she chose to think he was talking at her; though she reasonably might have guessed it, seeing that he had scolded her a hundred times for want of steadiness of character.

She was more angry than all, because she knew that her own vanity had caused--at least disagreement--between Lucia and Elsley.

All which (combined with her natural wish not to confess an unpleasant truth about her sister) justified her, of course, in answering,-- "Miss St.Just does not intrude into the secrets of her sister's married life; and if she did, she would not repeat them." Major Campbell sighed, and walked on a few moments in silence, then,-- "Pardon, Miss St.Just; I asked a rude question, and I am sorry for it." "Pardon you, my dear Saint Pere ?" cried she, almost catching at his hand.