helping thee to thy desires, 'twould be
helping thy peace of mind and him to utter ruin; and such calamity
would render thy young life incomplete; for without this noble lord
thy perfectness will be unfinished."

"Cease carving epitaphs, Janet, and help me assist this poor
unfortunate. How long will my lord be gone?"

"He has only gone to the village to meet the workmen who were to
renovate the nurseries and ride home with Lady Constance, who rode
away early this morning when thou were dreaming of Russia."

"Then I will write him my petition, and thou shalt give it to Angel
to give my lord, immediately upon his return." She sat down with
parchment and quill and wrote rapidly; and as Janet noticed not, she
wrote two letters instead of one. The first she folded evenly and put
beneath a book, the other she gave to Janet, who took it and left the
chamber to seek Angel. Mistress Penwick, thus left alone, wondered how
she should convey her other letter to Count Adrian. She approached the
window, and lo! upon the upper terrace paced her Grace of Ellswold and
Cantemir. 'Twas not the first hour that day the latter had so paraded
the sward, ever and anon casting glances toward Mistress Penwick's
windows. Again he glanced up and saw her wave a white paper and
immediately leave the window. He guessed at once 'twas something more
than indisposition that held her to her room. Again she looked; they
had turned from the window. She flung forth the paper and it floated
down as Janet came into the room.

'Twas late that evening Katherine sat in _peignoir_ and unbound hair,
ready for retiring, when there came a soft rap and a pleading voice
asking for admission. Now Janet was not one whit afraid of double
dealing when she was present, and being proud of Mistress Penwick and
not wishing it to appear that she was a prisoner, she opened the door
and in came Lady Constance smiling and shy, a hollow-hearted creature
of the world. Now it so happened that Lady Constance had kept herself
from Katherine for some little time, wishing not to be disturbed by
the maid's beauty; as it usually stirred her to frenzy and she wanted
perfect quiet for calm reasoning. It took some time to plan her
campaign that was already full started, and she now came forth from
her chamber refreshed, the course of her slothful blood hastened; her
eyes gleamed with impatience for action; her whole being changed,
rejuvenated, filled with a new life. She came also with