"Harry asked me to do it for him this morning at breakfast-time--for
Miss Richardson, he said."

"For Jane Richardson!" said Sophy, as if a new idea were receiving
strength in her mind.

"Do you think Harry means anything by his attention to her?" asked
Helen.

"Nay, I do not know anything more than you do; I can only observe
and conjecture. What do you think, Helen?"

"Harry always likes to be of consequence to the belle of the room.
If one girl is more admired than another, he likes to flutter about
her, and seem to be on intimate terms with her. That is his way,
and I have not noticed anything beyond that in his manner to Jane
Richardson."

"But I don't think she knows it's only his way. Just watch her the
next time we meet her when Harry is there, and see how she crimsons,
and looks another way when she feels he is coming up to her. I
think he sees it, too, and I think he is pleased with it."

"I dare say Harry would like well enough to turn the head of such a
lovely girl as Jane Richardson. But I'm not convinced that he's in
love, whatever she may be."

"Well, then!" said Sophy indignantly, "though it is our own brother,
I do not think he is behaving very wrongly. The more I think of it,
the more sure I am that she thinks he means something, and that he