of his message:

"I am going to many Lady Anne Mulliner."

Celia rose from the chair, and seated herself on the side of the table.
She had grey eyes fringed with dark lashes, and a large, well-shaped
mouth with lips which tilted agreeably at the corners what time she was
amused. They tilted now, and the grey eyes danced. Malham was jesting
in the good old way in which he used to jest before he grew so silent
and preoccupied. It had pleased them then to make believe, and act
little plays for the other's benefit. How good it was to jest again!

Celia hunched her shoulders to her ears, and pointed at him with a
dramatic finger. Her voice rang in loud, stagey accents:

"False caitiff, wouldst thou indeed betray my innocent trust? Pull many
a year have I waited in love and fealty, and wouldst thou spurn the poor
maiden's heart?" She pulled her handkerchief out of her belt,
flourished it to her eyes, then suddenly subsided into laughter, and an
easy: "The poor old scarecrow! Jack! it's not kind... What about that
kiss?"

"I am going to marry Lady Anne Mulliner," repeated Malham once more.
Celia put her head on one side, and looked at him with her winsome look,
the look he most loved to see.

"All right, ducky doo! Why shouldn't you? She'll be _most_ pleased.
But for to-night, you see, you belong to me, and--er--I haven't seen you
for three whole days!"

"Celia, you must believe me. I mean it. I proposed to Lady Anne an
hour ago, and she accepted me. We are engaged. I came straight here to
tell you."

The smile faded from Celia's face. She looked startled and grave, but
there was no serious alarm on her face.

"Jack--why?"

He threw out his arms with a gesture of despair.

"Because I can't endure this life. I've missed that case; it has gone
past me as usual, to a fellow with influence. There is no hope for a
man who has no position, no one behind. It would drive me mad to go on
year after year with this hopeless struggle. It is driving me mad now.
To-night I felt desperate. I would have given anything in the world to
buy my chance, and the opportunity came. I took it. I had not the
power to refuse."

"Poor Jack!" she said softly. "Poor Jack!"

He had expected reproaches, tears, wild protestations. Celia was
impetuous by nature, and the peace between them had not been unbroken by
storms. He was prepared for violence, but this gentleness played havoc
with his composure. His face twit