man being?"

"Aye, 'tis a poor thing that loves not."

"Dost love me, Kate?"

"As a father or brother and as one should love her father's best
friend."

"Then--give me a--kiss as thou wouldst give thy brother." The hot
blood suffused her face. At sight of it, Cedric's heart leapt with a
mighty gladness.

"Not having had a brother, I know not how to give that thou
askest;--and 'tis unseemly of thee to ask for that that makes one
blush for very shame to be questioned of."

"Blushes are not always for shame--'tis for love, sometimes. Kate,
'tis time I knew thy heart, for thou knowest I am about to die for
love of thee. Dost not understand that thy father wished thee to marry
at an early age and to marry the son of his bosom friend to whom he
gave his daughter's keeping?"

"Nay, he said naught of my marriage with thee, as he knew not thou
wert in existence."

"Aye, of a truth he hath done so; it is here next my heart," and he
drew forth Sir John's letter. "Wilt read but the lines I show thee;
for there are secrets belonging to thy father and me alone?" He marked
the lines with his jewelled finger, his love locks falling against her
cheek as she read: "My last wish and the one of greatest import to my
child is that thou find for her a spouse of rank and fortune. 'Tis my
desire she marry early to such an one.--Ah! Cedric, if thou had hadst
a son, their union would have been our delight--"

"Ah! ah!" and Katherine's eyes grew wide. "Thou hast said naught of
this--as it appears here before me now; and it might have been too
late."

"Too late! What meanest thou?"

"The noble--nay, now I cannot tell thee, for 'tis a secret but half
mine."

"My God! who dares have secrets with thee save thy nurse and guardian;
whose damned heart hath played the lover to thee?" His hand fell upon
his sword and he drew it half way. "What guest hath so dishonoured
name as to make profit of that I have already made known as my
espoused? Tell me, Kate!" Seeing her frightened eyes, that were justly
so, he pushed back the jewelled hilt and threw his arm about her and
drew her close, so close she was well-nigh crushed by his warm and
passionate embrace and choked by pulverulent civet as her face was
pressed against the folds of his steenkirk. She felt the tumultuous
beating of his heart, and 'twas a great, new feeling came to her and
she trembled and swayed, and loved and hated both, in one brief moment
and drew from him and looked with