uch knit, gazed steadfastly into the fire. "Mr
Keswick," he said presently, "what you tell me fills me with
consternation. It is quite plain that I shall have no chance to see Miss
March, and, as there is no one else in the world who will do it for me,
I am going to ask you to go to her, to-morrow morning, and speak to her
in my behalf."

When this had been said, Junius Keswick dropped his cigar upon the
floor, and sat up very straight in his chair, gazing fixedly at
Lawrence. "Upon my word!" he said, "I knew you were a cool man, but that
request freezes my imagination. I cannot conceive how any man can ask
another to try to win for him a lady whom he knows the other man
desires to win for himself. You have made some requests before that
were rather astounding, but this one overshadows them all."

"I admit," said Lawrence, "that what I ask is somewhat out of the way,
but you must consider the circumstances. Suppose I had met you in mortal
combat, and I had dropped my sword where you could reach it and I could
not; would you pick it up and give it to me? or would you run me
through?"

"I don't think that comparison is altogether a good one," said Junius.

"Yes, it is," said Lawrence, "and covers the case entirely. I am here,
disabled, and if you pick up my sword, as I have just asked you to do,
it is not to be assumed that your action gives me the victory. It merely
gives me an equal chance with yourself."

"Do you mean," said Junius, "that you want me to go to Miss March, and
deliberately ask her if she will marry you?"

"No," said Lawrence, "I have done that myself. But there are certain
points in regard to which I want to be set right with Miss March. And
now I wish you to understand me, Mr Keswick. I speak to you, not only as
a generous and honorable man, which I have found you to be, but as a
rival. I cannot believe that you would be willing to profit by my
present disadvantages, and, as I have said two or three times before, it
would certainly be for your interest, as a suitor for the lady, to have
this matter settled."

"Wouldn't it be better, then," said Junius, "if I were to go
immediately, and speak to her for myself?"

"No," said Lawrence, "I don't think that would settle the affair at all.
From what I understand of your relations with Miss March, she knows you
are her lover, and yet she neither accepts nor declines you. If you were
to go to her now, it is not likely she would give you any definite
a