and give me your sweet self. There
is no one to love you as I do, and I swear your life shall be a summer
holiday."

His words struck her with sudden conviction. It was true there was no
one to love her as he did, and what a tower of refuge he would be to the
boys! Why should she not think of him? He had been very true to her. Why
should she not drive out the haunting image of the man who did not love
her by the living presence of the man who did? But, if she accepted him,
she must confess her crime; she could not keep such an act hidden from
the man who was ready to give his life to her. How awful this would be!
And he might reject her; then her fate would be decided for her. Lord de
Burgh saw that she hesitated, and pressed her eagerly for a decision.

"You deserve so much gratitude for your kindness, your faithfulness,
that--ah! do let me think," covering up her face with her hands. "It is
such a tremendous matter to decide."

"Yes, of course, you shall think as much as ever you like," cried De
Burgh, rapturously, telling himself "that she who deliberates is lost."
"Take your own time, only don't say _no_," ferociously. "Reflect on the
immense happiness you can bestow, the good you can do. Why do you
shiver, my darling? If you wish it, I'll go now this moment, and I'll
not show my face till--till the day after to-morrow, if you like."

"The day after to-morrow? that is but a short space to decide so
momentous a question."

"If you can't make up your mind in twenty-four hours, neither can you in
two hundred and forty. I don't want to hurry you, but you must have some
consideration for me; imagine my state of mind. Why, I'll be on the rack
till we meet again. I fancy a conscientious woman is about the cruellest
creature that walks! However, I'll stick to my promise: I will not
intrude on you till the day after to-morrow. Then I will come at eleven
o'clock for your answer; and, Katherine, my love, my life, it must be
'yes.'"

He took and kissed her hand more than once, then he went swiftly away.

The hours which succeeded were painfully agitated. Katherine felt that
De Burgh had every right to consider himself virtually accepted. She
liked him--yes, certainly she liked him, and might have loved him, but
for her irresistible, unreasonable, unmaidenly attachment to Errington.
If she made up her mind to marry him, that would fill her heart and
relieve it from the dull aching which had strained it so long; once a
wi