tact with the boards above; and the
sneeze was followed by a hollow groan.

Julia fled to the door, and there, with the salutary instinct of the
brave, turned and faced the danger. There was no pursuit. The sounds
continued; below the table a crouching figure was indistinctly to be
seen jostled by the throes of a sneezing-fit; and that was all.

'Surely,' thought Julia, 'this is most unusual behaviour. He cannot be a
man of the world!'

Meanwhile the dust of years had been disturbed by the young barrister's
convulsions; and the sneezing-fit was succeeded by a passionate access
of coughing.

Julia began to feel a certain interest. 'I am afraid you are really
quite ill,' she said, drawing a little nearer. 'Please don't let me put
you out, and do not stay under that table, Mr Jimson. Indeed it cannot
be good for you.'

Mr Jimson only answered by a distressing cough; and the next moment
the girl was on her knees, and their faces had almost knocked together
under the table.

'O, my gracious goodness!' exclaimed Miss Hazeltine, and sprang to her
feet. 'Mr Forsyth gone mad!'

'I am not mad,' said the gentleman ruefully, extricating himself from
his position. 'Dearest. Miss Hazeltine, I vow to you upon my knees I am
not mad!'

'You are not!' she cried, panting.

'I know,' he said, 'that to a superficial eye my conduct may appear
unconventional.'

'If you are not mad, it was no conduct at all,' cried the girl, with
a flash of colour, 'and showed you did not care one penny for my
feelings!'

'This is the very devil and all. I know--I admit that,' cried Gideon,
with a great effort of manly candour.

'It was abominable conduct!' said Julia, with energy.

'I know it must have shaken your esteem,' said the barrister. 'But,
dearest Miss Hazeltine, I beg of you to hear me out; my behaviour,
strange as it may seem, is not unsusceptible of explanation; and I
positively cannot and will not consent to continue to try to exist
without--without the esteem of one whom I admire--the moment is ill
chosen, I am well aware of that; but I repeat the expression--one whom I
admire.'

A touch of amusement appeared on Miss Hazeltine's face. 'Very well, I
said she, 'come out of this dreadfully cold place, and let us sit down
on deck.' The barrister dolefully followed her. 'Now,' said she, making
herself comfortable against the end of the house, 'go on. I will hear
you out.' And then, seeing him stand before her with so much obvious