d him, and he broke down. When she released him, he fell back on
his pillows, breathing heavily. There were tears in his eyes. Trimmer
entered at the opportune moment, and opened the door. Dora passed out and
ran down the stairs. When in the open air, she wanted to dance, to laugh,
to cry, to sing, all at once in the centre of the drive. Only a stern
sense of decorum prevented an hysterical outburst. She walked faster and
faster, until she almost ran.

"Dick! Dick! Dick!" she cried, shouting riotously to the leafless elms in
the avenue, and scampering like a joyous child. She waved her arms and
sang to the breeze.

CHAPTER XXIV

DICK EXPLAINS TO DORA

Dora hardly knew how she reached home after her visit to Herresford. She
had no recollection of anything seen by the way. Her senses swam in an
ecstasy too great for words, too intense to allow of impressions from
outside. Tears of joy obscured her vision. It was only when she arrived
home, and saw her father, and recollected that he had deceived her
wilfully, that she had room in her heart for anything but happiness.

The colonel was in the library, turning over the leaves of a
house-agent's catalogue--his favorite occupation at the present time:
Ormsby had enlisted his help in search of a suitable home for his bride.

"Here's a nice little place," cried the colonel. "They give a picture of
it. Why, girl, what a color you've got!"

"Yes, father, it's happiness."

"That's right, my girl--that's right. I'm glad you're taking a sensible
view of things. What did I tell you?"

"You told me an untruth, father. You told me that Dick was dead."

Dora's eyes flashed, and the colonel looked sheepish. He covered his
embarrassment with anger.

"So, the young fool hasn't taken my advice then? He wants to turn
convict. Is that why you're happy?--because a man who presumed to make
love to you behind your father's back has come home to get sent to the
penitentiary, instead of remaining respectably dead when he had the
chance?"

"Father, I shall never marry Mr. Ormsby. I have told him so."

"What! you've been down to the bank?"

"No, I have just come from Asherton Hall. What passed there I cannot
explain to you at present, but I have written to Vivian, giving him his
_conge_."

"Do you mean to tell me," thundered the colonel, rising and thumping the
table with his clenched fist, "that you're going to throw over the
richest bachelor in the country for a blackguar