"She won't tell you: she's not the sort that ever makes a confession." But Russell had not followed her shift to the former topic.

"'Mildred's not being an exception ?'" he said, vaguely.

"I don't----" "An exception about thinking she could be a wonderful thing on the stage if she only cared to.

If you asked her I'm pretty sure she'd say, 'What nonsense!' Mildred's the dearest, finest thing anywhere, but you won't find out many things about her by asking her." Russell's expression became more serious, as it did whenever his cousin was made their topic.

"You think not ?" he said.