characteristic of my mother's race: it is always calm until -ah, well, until a storm breaks; then its composure is swept away with the force of a torrent. Sometimes"-she was thinking of her emotion when she had overheard the two Froytes talking about her-"I have been so carried awayBut, here again, we are talking about myself.

"And again, I'd rather listen; please, please go on!" he said.

They had reached a stile, and she sat down and clasped her hands loosely in her lap, and Lance leant against the rail, so that he could watch her face: it was graving itself on his heart more deeply every moment.

"I think you have scarcely done yourself justice," she said, as if she had been communing with herself. "I do not think you are so useless, so-so idle and careless-I don't know the right word to use as you say. When I saw you last night, I thought that you looked like a man to be relied upon.

Lance's delight fought with his surprise over this random speech, delivered as simply as a child could have spoken it, and with her lovely eyes fixed dreamily on the slope of the Holmby park which rose before them.

"If you mean that you thought you could rely on me, you thought right," he said, stilling the beating of his heart. "There is nothing you could ask me to do-please remember, nothing that I wouldn't do, if I could."

"Thank you," she said in a low voice, and raising her eyes for a brief moment. "Mr. le Breton, there is something I want to ask you to do, but I am afraid. It is so great a

thing."

"It can't be too great. I wish you'd take courage, and make me happy by asking," he broke in. "Last night, when I saw you sitting there in the ball-room, I felt as if I must know you- Oh, I know what you think: that it was because you were the most beautiful girl there-far and away the loveliest."

She raised her eyes to his quite calmly; there was not a trace of a blush of pleasure or gratified vanity in her expression; simply deep, profound attention.

"But it wasn't only that. I felt as if I-as if I were drawn towards you. It was the same when I heard you speak, when I danced with you. Oh, I can't explain, but I do hope you understand!"

"I don't think I do, quite. It seems so strange that you should have thought- Why, there were many prettier girls

KYRA'S FATE.

than I. Your cousin, Lady May, is prettier. She is like an English rose sweet and fresh-while 1-"

66

You are like a beautiful exotic, which is far lovelier. I am glad if you Compare you with Lady May! But no matter. That isn't it." "it does not matter. No," she said, But ah! no, it does not matter. think me pretty, of course. That should have felt so-so kindly towards me, so interyou ested is of much greater importance. If I had not thought of you as I did, I should not have asked you to meet me; and

now"

because

She set her lips, and her hands closed tightly on each other. -"And now I think I have found some courage; and I will try and tell you, Mr. le Breton-I asked you, there is no one else in the world to whom I could "Your guardians-" he said.

A shadow fell over her face.

go

"No, not to them. We will not speak of them. I do not know of any one but you-"

"I'm glad, glad with all my heart," he murmured, fervently.

66

I

Mr. le Breton, My guardian and his son are almost strangers to me. do not like but we need not speak of them. supposing I were to ask you to do something for me, without telling you a reason, and binding you-with an oath," her eyes dwelt on his solemnly, "to ask for no reason, to tell no had done until I gave you leave, would you anone what you swer me 'yes,' or 'no?' and if you were to give me your word, the word of an English gentleman, that to no one you would ever tell my request even, would you promise? Ah, do you understand?"

Her hands writhed together and her lips quivered.

Lance felt a thrill run through him. What was it she was going to ask?

"I quite understand," he said, gravely and gently. "If I consent, I will swear that I will ask no reason, and not speak of it to a living soul unless you give me leave. If I cannotwhy, but that's impossible!"

No matter! You promise?" she said, with sweet insistence in her voice and in her eyes.

"I promise never to tell anyone what you may ask me!" he responded, solemnly.

She drew a long breath.

"I trust you," she said.

"Yes, I trust you.

I must.

You will say no,' I think; but still I must ask you, Mr. le

Breton." Her voice trembled, but she steadied it by an effort marvelous in one so young. 66 "I am in danger-" "Danger!" The echo sprang from his lips and he started with his eyes flashing, but she calmed him with a slight gesture of the hand from which she had removed her glove.

"Remember your promise! I said in danger; but I am not in bodily peril; others could save me from that; not bodily peril-at least I think not," she added, with a touch of doubt and uncertainty in her voice. "I cannot tell you what it is; but you can save me from it—”

"Then I shall have done something that will have made my life worth living," said Lance, fervently, his eyes seeking hers eagerly. "It is just what I would have asked you to ask me! It is just-oh, it is too good to be true! To be of use, service to you to you!”

He put restraint upon himself, but his face was flushed, his eyes shining. She looked at him with calm surprise, as if she were wondering at his eagerness, his fervour.

"I am glad-grateful," she said. "But wait.

not yet heard what it is."

You have

"I don't care what it is!" he said in a low voice. "I am absolutely your servant-I tell you so now before you say another word-I'm your slave; you can just command me. Now tell me what it is; ask me!"

She looked at him steadily, with a strangely intense expression in her wonderful eyes.

"Will you marry me?" she asked, in a low but perfectly clear voice.

Lance stared down at her as if he had not heard her, or, rather, as if he fancied he had heard some wild speech too preposterous to have been really spoken. Then slowly the colour left his frank, handsome face, and his eyes darkened and grew almost stern.

"Why do you jest with me, Miss Jermyn?" he said.

The colour rose to her face for an instant, then left it; paler for the transient rush of crimson.

"I-am not jesting," she said, almost inaudibly. "I am asking if you will marry me.

He still stared at her, his face still white.

"Not-not jesting. It's not a joke-a-a trick!" he said, almost to himself. "Not a girlish prank like-like May would play? You mean it-you mean it ?"

"Yes, I mean it," she responded.

"Good God!" broke from him; and he put his hand to his

brow, as if the shock of realising that she was in earnest was well-nigh intolerable. "You ask me to marry you?"

"Yes," she said again, with painful calmness. "I knew you would be startled, shocked: I see now how strange, how-how dreadful it must sound to you. You will say "No;' but you must remember your promise not to tell anyone that I have asked; you will not, if we should meet again, even remind

me

"Hold on a moment!" he broke in, hoarsely. "I want to think! I can scarcely believe it even now! To-marryyou!"

He drew a long breath and looked away from her a moment, as if the contemplation of her beauty prevented him from thinking, realising. Then he turned to her with feverish earnestness, with a light in his eyes and an eagerness almost paralysing speech.

"And you are in doubt as to what my answer will be! Great Heaven! do you know what it means? I marry you! Ana you doubt! Why, yes, yes, yes!"

His hand went out for hers, but she drew back, shrunk back with surprise and something like fear in her eyes, and his hand fell to his side.

"Wait-ah, wait!" she said in a low voice. "Before you say 'Yes,' remember our agreement. You are not to ask the

reason.

"I know! Do I ask?" he responded, fighting for self-restraint.

You know that you are not to

"You have not heard all. tell anyone; that it must be a secret." "I know. I understand. And do you think that would stop me, deter me! Why, think of it! the chance of marrying you, marrying- Why, if anyone had told me that I should get a star from heaven, I should have been as ready to believe in the chance coming off-as of-of marrying youyou! The loveliest woman I have ever seen, or that anyone -a prince of the blood-might give his coronet to win! Am I mad, or dreaming! Tell me it's not a trick! You are in earnest?"

"I am in earnest," she said, her brow knitted, as if his ardour puzzled her. "Can you not see that?"

"Yes!" he drew another long breath. "By Heaven! I think you are! And I saw you for the first time last night! You know nothing about me, what I'm like-good or bad; but don't be afraid! Whatever I am, whatever I've been, I'll

try to be worthy of you; worthy of this great good fortune! Oh, my head's swimming!"

He put out his hand again and bent over her, but she drew back as before. There was silence for a moment, then she

said in a low voice, but quite calmly:

"And can you marry me at once?"

"At once!"

He took off his hat and his hand pressed his brow.

66

'Yes; to-morrow, if I can. I don't know—I don't know whether it can be done: perhaps not so soon, but as soon as the law permits. I'd marry you now, this evening-merciful Heaven, it's too-too good to be true!"

"I don't know either," she said, pondering. "Will you find out?"

He inclined his head. He was dazed by the prospect she had opened out before him: as dazed as Aladdin when the genie shewed him the incalculable riches in the cave and told him they were his.

"But why- No, I remember! I must not ask! And I don't."

"No; you will not ask. I know that I have not trusted you in vain," she said. "I don't know why I know; but I do. Ah, what is the matter?" she broke off; for he had uttered an exclamation, and had struck his fist into the palm of his left hand.

"I-I forgot! I may have to go any moment, any day! My leave But I'll send in my papers, resign. I'll give it

up

"No," she said, simply. "You must not do that! I knew that you would be going. You must go.

"

"What! and leave you?" he said, staring at her, then bursting into a laugh, not loud, but full of tender irony.

"Yes," she said, gravely. "It was partly because of that. Why should you give up your regiment, why should you stay behind?"

"Why should I—”

The crimson showed behind his tan, his eyes dwelt upon hers wonderingly, amazedly, then he bit his lip and evaded the innocent depths of her pure eyes.

"There is no reason," she said. "Indeed, it was because you were going, would be away for years that I thought of you, found courage to ask you. It was because it would be easier for you to say 'Yes!"

"Easier!" he stammered.

"I don't understand!"

"Why, yes," she said, with sweet gravity. "If you had