d."

"You were reserved for my future. You must remember that my past is over
there across the water. There's none of it here in London."

"Very good, then, since your future is seated beside you. Capital thing
to have your future so handy." And Ralph lighted another cigarette and
reflected that Isabel probably meant she had received news that Mr.
Caspar Goodwood had crossed to Paris. After he had lighted his cigarette
he puffed it a while, and then he resumed. "I promised just now to be
very amusing; but you see I don't come up to the mark, and the fact is
there's a good deal of temerity in one's undertaking to amuse a
person like you. What do you care for my feeble attempts? You've grand
ideas--you've a high standard in such matters. I ought at least to bring
in a band of music or a company of mountebanks."

"One mountebank's enough, and you do very well. Pray go on, and in
another ten minutes I shall begin to laugh."

"I assure you I'm very serious," said Ralph. "You do really ask a great
deal."

"I don't know what you mean. I ask nothing."

"You accept nothing," said Ralph. She coloured, and now suddenly it
seemed to her that she guessed his meaning. But why should he speak
to her of such things? He hesitated a little and then he continued:
"There's something I should like very much to say to you. It's a
question I wish to ask. It seems to me I've a right to ask it, because
I've a kind of interest in the answer."

"Ask what you will," Isabel replied gently, "and I'll try to satisfy
you."

"Well then, I hope you won't mind my saying that Warburton has told me
of something that has passed between you."

Isabel suppressed a start; she sat looking at her open fan. "Very good;
I suppose it was natural he should tell you."

"I have his leave to let you know he has done so. He has some hope
still," said Ralph.

"Still?"

"He had it a few days ago."

"I don't believe he has any now," said the girl.

"I'm very sorry for him then; he's such an honest man."

"Pray, did he ask you to talk to me?"

"No, not that. But he told me because he couldn't help it. We're old
friends, and he was greatly disappointed. He sent me a line asking me
to come and see him, and I drove over to Lockleigh the day before he and
his sister lunched with us. He was very heavy-hearted; he had just got a
letter from you."

"Did he show you the letter?" asked Isabel with momentary loftiness.

"By no means. But he told me it was a ne