."

A glad light came into the girl's pale face, but she did not speak, and
Noel went on:

"It is not as if my love for you were a thing of yesterday, for I can
never remember the time when you were not first in my thoughts. Yes,
Marie--

'Il y a longtemps que je t'aime,
Jamais je ne t'oublierai.'"

"What, Noel, never? That is a long, long time. Are you sure, Noel?"

"Am I sure, Marie? Is yonder great rock, on which countless tides have
beaten, sure? Is the mighty Gulf sure of its ebb and flow? Is anything
sure in this world, Marie?"

The girl did not answer, and he went on:

"Tell me, Marie, do you care for me or do you not?"

Marie hesitated, and Noel impatiently gathered up some loose pebbles and
threw them into the water, walking hurriedly up and down the beach.

"Marie, you must answer me to-night; I must come to a decision."

The girl rose slowly from her seat, and, coming towards Noel, put both
her hands in his, and lifting up her great brown eyes, lighted with
happiness and perfect trust, said deliberately,--

"'Il y a longtemps que je t'aime,
Jamais je ne t'oublierai.'"

CHAPTER IV.

"Red o'er the forest peers the setting sun,
The line of yellow light dies fast away."

Keble.

"Well, I'm afraid, Webster, it's a thankless task. There are plenty of
Scotch names about here, but not the one we want. I'm heartily tired of
going about from churchyard to churchyard, poking around like ghouls or
medical students. We've been to all the graves in the neighborhood, and,
interesting as such a pursuit may be to an antiquary like yourself, I
find it very slow. I'm one of those sensible people who believe in living
in the present, and letting the dead past bury its dead, as the poet
says."

"Are you, indeed?" retorted his companion drily. "Too lazy, I suppose, to
do anything else."

"Well, that may be the case; but this I know, that I'm going to cable
Lady McAllister to-morrow, and tell her that I'm going back. You may stay
here if you like, as you appear to find the country so charming."

"It is very kind, indeed, of you to give me your permission," replied the
other. "But, my gay and festive friend, I doubt very much whether Lady
McAllister will allow you to return. You know, as well as I, how decided
she is. When she has once got an idea into her head, it is hard to get it
out."

"But, my dear sir," said the younger man, "it is such an utterly
ridiculous idea that