uncle began, restraining his
emotion as best he could, "sooner or later my daughters will have to face
the world alone. I am of no help to them now, and perhaps shall be no
loss when I am gone, but it is like taking the heart out of me to send my
beautiful girl to this unholy king; the wickedest man in the vilest court
on earth. But it must be done. God help me and save her!"

"I will not go!" cried Frances, running into the room from the hallway,
and kneeling by her father's chair.

"I fear you must, Frances," answered Sir Richard. "There, there, we'll
say it is settled and let it rest a few days, so that we may grow used to
the thought before making our plans in detail."

* * * * *

After dinner I missed Frances, and when I asked Sarah where she had gone,
I received answer in one word: "Walking."

"Alone?" I asked. Sarah smiled.

In a moment I said, "I think I, too, shall go walking."

"The Bourne Path is pretty," suggested Sarah.

"Will you come with me?" I asked.

Again Sarah smiled, shaking her head for answer, and I set off, taking my
way down the path which wound beside a rocky bourne, a distance of
several miles in the direction of Hamilton House, one of the country
places of Count Hamilton.

When I reached a point perhaps half a league from Sundridge, I saw a lady
and gentleman walking leisurely ahead of me. Her hand was on his arm, and
his head was bent toward her, evidently in earnest conversation. Her head
drooped prettily, indicating a listening mood, and the two seemed very
much like lovers in the early wooing stage. At once I recognized the
beautiful figure of my cousin Frances. The gentleman I did not know,
seeing only his back, though there was something familiar to me in the
tall, straight form, the broad shoulders, and the graceful carriage of
the head. He was a cavalier, every inch of him, from his long, dark,
slightly curling hair to the golden buckles on his shoes. He carried his
beaver hat in his hand, dragging the rich plume on the ground.

I hastened forward, but they were so interested in each other that they
did not know of my presence till I asked:--

"Cousin, won't you introduce me?"

Frances turned with a little scream, and the gentleman spun around
quickly, putting on his hat and dropping my cousin's hand, which he had
been holding. At first my surprise deprived me of the power to think, but
soon I recovered self-control, and said:--

"Ah, th