nswer. But in regard to me, it would be different. She would say yes or
no. And if she made the latter answer I think you could walk over the
course. I am not vain enough to say that I have been an obstacle to your
success, but I assure you that I have tried very hard to make myself
such an obstacle."

"It seems to me," said Junius, imitating his companion in the matter of
knitting his brows and gazing into the fire, "that this affair could be
managed very simply. Miss March is not going at the break of day. Why
don't you contrive to see her before she starts, and say for yourself
what you have to say?"

"Nothing would please me better than that," said Croft, "but I don't
believe she would give me any chance to speak with her. Since my
accident, she has persistently and pointedly refused to grant me even
the shortest interview."

"That ought to prove to you," said Keswick, "that she does not desire
your attentions. You should consider it as a positive answer."

"Not at all," said Lawrence, "not at all. And I don't think you would
consider it a positive answer if you were in my place. I think she has
taken some offence which is entirely groundless, and if you will consent
to act for me it will enable me to set straight this misunderstanding."

"Confound it!" exclaimed Keswick. "Can't you write to her? or get some
one else to take your love messages?"

"No," said Lawrence, "I cannot write to her, for I am not sure that
under the circumstances she would answer my letter. And I have already
asked Mrs Null, the only other person I could ask, to speak for me, but
she has declined."

"By the Lord Harry!" exclaimed Junius, "you are the rarest wooer I ever
heard of."

"I assure you," said Lawrence, his face flushing somewhat, "that it is
not my desire to carry on my wooing in this fashion. My whole soul is
opposed to it, but circumstances will have it so. And as I don't intend,
if I can help it, to have my life determined by circumstances, I must go
ahead in despite of them, although I admit that it makes the road very
rough."

"I should think it would," said Junius. And then there was a pause in
the conversation.

"Well, Mr Keswick," said Lawrence, presently, "Will you do this thing
for me?"

"Am I to understand," said Junius, "that if I don't do it, it won't be
done?"

"Yes," said Lawrence, "you are positively my last chance. I have racked
my brains to think of some other way of presenting my case to Miss
Marc