life it is just the contrary, and I like reality."

Fritz came to announce supper. The gentlemen were cheerful, the
Captain noisy and jovial; Francis only gave short and dry answers,
and showed me her ill-humour by only giving me the tips of her fingers
when she wished us all good-night.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Unromantic though it may sound, I must confess to having slept
well on the first night I spent under the roof of my mother's
ancestors. Sleep surprised me whilst I was reflecting on the
strange and incomprehensible character of Francis. Proud, generous,
noble-hearted, quick-witted, beautiful--and yet with all her charms
(which I could feel had already begun to work upon me) spoilt by
a detestable education, by the manners of a sutler and a rudeness
of the worst kind. And then, in addition to all this, there was the
question of her past life which I had heard painted in such black
colours. It seemed doubtful whether Major Frank could ever become
Lady Francis van Zonshoven.

When I awoke the sun was streaming through the one window whose
shutters I had purposely left open, with the intention of taking
an early morning walk. I crept silently down the stairs so as not
to awake anybody, but I met Fritz in the vestibule, and he made his
military salute in silence. The hall door was wide open. I took the
direction of the home-farm, where I hoped to obtain a glass of new
milk, and draw the tenants out a little about the inhabitants of the
Castle--one in particular.

I had not gone very far before whom should I see coming from the farm
but Francis herself, with a basket of fresh eggs.

After a moment's hesitation I asked--

"Are we again good friends?" For I had an idea she would have taken
another path if she had seen me a little sooner.

"I never knew we had ceased to be so," she answered, colouring
a little.

"Hem! Towards the close of the evening, in spite of what you may say
to the contrary."

"Say, rather, in spite of myself. Believe me, Leo, I was not morose
out of caprice; I was troubled and anxious. I saw my manner displeased
you, but I was afraid that to flatter grandfather's weakness you were
suffering yourself to become his dupe."

"And even in that case I could not permit you to interfere."

"You had told me you were poor, that you must economize, and then
to squander your money in such a way in our house--it seemed to me
like card-sharping."

"No, no; nothing of the sort. But suppos