. Ashton--that I have no intention of
marrying anyone but Anne; and I wish with all my heart and soul you'd
give her to me to-day. Shut up with those two women, the one pretty, the
other watching any chance word to turn it to her own use, I dare say the
Mrs. Graveses of the place have talked, forgetting that Maude is my
cousin. I believe I paid some attention to Maude because I was angry
at being kept out of the Rectory; but my attentions meant nothing, upon
my honour."

"Elster's folly, Val! Lady Maude may have thought they did."

"At any rate she knew of my engagement to Anne."

"Then there is nothing in it?"

"There shall be nothing in it," was the emphatic answer. "Anne was my
first love, and she will be my last. You must promise to give her to me
as soon as you return from Cannes."

"About that you must ask her father. I dare say he will do so."

Lord Hartledon rose from his seat; held Mrs. Ashton's hand between his
whilst he said his adieu, and stooped to kiss her with a son's affection.
She was a little surprised to find it was his final farewell. They were
not going to start until Monday. But Hartledon could not have risked that
cross-questioning again; rather would he have sailed away for the savage
territories at once. He went downstairs searching for Anne, and found her
in the room where you first saw her--her own. She looked up with quite an
affectation of surprise when he entered, although she had probably gone
there to await him. The best of girls are human.

"You ran away, Anne, whilst mamma and I held our conference?"

"I hope it has been satisfactory," she answered demurely, not looking up,
and wondering whether he suspected how violently her heart was beating.

"Partly so. The end was all right. Shall I tell it you?"

"The end! Yes, if you will," she replied unsuspectingly.

"The decision come to is, that a certain young friend of ours is to be
converted, with as little delay as circumstances may permit, into Lady
Hartledon."

Of course there came no answer except a succession of blushes. Anne's
work, which she had carried with her, took all her attention just then.

"Can you guess her name, Anne?"

"I don't know. Is it Maude Kirton?"

He winced. "If you have been told that abominable rubbish, Anne, it is
not necessary to repeat it. It's not so pleasant a theme that you need
make a joke of it."

"Is it rubbish?" asked Anne, lifting her eyes.

"I think you ought to know that if any o