ld
look it in the face; all her thoughts must now be for him.

"I will do anything to serve you," she said, gently. "What can I do?"

"My mother loves you very much," said Ronald; "she will listen to you.
When I have told her, will you, in your sweet, persuasive way,
interfere for Dora? Lady Earle will be influenced by what you say."

A quiver of pain passed over the proud, calm face of Valentine
Charteris.

"If you think it wise for a stranger to interfere in so delicate a
matter, I will do so cheerfully," she said; "but let me counsel on
thing. Tell Lord and Lady Earle at once. Do not delay, every hour is
of consequence."

"What do you think of my story?" asked Ronald, anxiously. "Have I done
right or wrong?"

"Do not ask me," replied Valentine.

"Yes," he urged, "I will ask again; you are my friend. Tell me, have I
done right or wrong?"

"I can speak nothing but truth," replied Valentine, "and I think you
have done wrong. Do not be angry. Honor is everything; it ranks
before life or love. In some degree you have tarnished yours by an
underhand proceeding, a private marriage, one forbidden by your parents
and distasteful to them."

Ronald's face fell as her words came to him slowly and clearly.

"I thought," said he, "I was doing a brave deed in marrying Dora. She
had no one to take her part but me."

"It was a brave deed in one sense," said Valentine. "You have proved
yourself generous and disinterested. Heaven grant that you may be
happy!"

"She is young and impressionable," said Ronald; "I can easily mold her
to my own way of thinking. You look very grave, Miss Charteris."

"I am thinking of you," she said, gently; "it seems to me a grave
matter. Pardon me--but did you reflect well--were you quite convinced
that the whole happiness of your life was at stake? If so, I need say
no more. It is an unequal marriage, one not at all fitting in the
order of things."

How strange that she should use his father's words!

"Tell your father at once," she continued. "You can never retrace the
step you have taken. You may never wish to do so, but you can and must
retrieve the error of duplicity and concealment."

"You will try and make my mother love Dora?" said Ronald.

"That I will," replied Valentine. "You sketched her portrait well. I
can almost see her. I will speak of her beauty, her grace, her
tenderness."

"You are a true friend," said Ronald, gratefully.

"Do not overrate my