king a little grim:

"Look'ee Bet," said he as they trod the tiled walk together, "I have
lived sufficiently long in this world to know that the mind of a woman
is beyond a man's comprehension and that she herself is oft-times the
sport of every idle whim----"

"'Tis a Daniel come to judgment! O excellent young man!'" she mocked.
Whereat the Viscount became a little grimmer as he continued:

"Yet, because my regard for you is true and sincere, I do most humbly
implore you to forego this madcap whim----"

"Whim, Viscount Merivale, my lord?"

"Aye--whim, fancy, mischief--call it what you will! 'Tis impossible
you can love the fellow and not to be thought on."

"Dear Pan," she sighed, "I vow there are times I could kiss you as I
used, when we were children."

"Trust me instead, dear Bet! Confess, the fellow hath a hold over you?
Have you met him often at night?"

"Twice!"

"Shall you meet him again?"

"Thrice!"

"Alone? And--at midnight? Alone, Betty?"

"Quite alone."

"God!" he exclaimed, "what will the world think?"

"The world will be asleep."

"But how if you should be seen as I saw you--in the lane?"

"'Tis small chance," she answered, brushing her roses across red lips
a-pout in thought. "'Tis why I choose a spot so remote and so late an
hour."

"But alone--at midnight--with Dalroyd! By heaven, Betty, you run
greater and more ugly risks than you know."

"I think not, Pan."

"But I tell you, and God forgive me if I misjudge the fellow--from what
I know--from what I hear he's a very satyr--a----"

"Indeed I think he is!" she sighed. "So do I go prepared."

"How--how?" he demanded. "I say no maid should run such risk,
willingly or no----"

"Pancras!" She turned and faced him suddenly. "You never doubt
me--you?"

"Never Bet, never, I swear. But 'tis only that I've known you all your
days and because I know you commit this folly and risk these dangers
for Charles's sake. But Betty, in God's name what will the end be?"

"An end shall justify the means!"

"The means--the means! Aye, but there are some means so shameful that
no end may ever justify--you never think to sacrifice yourself to----"

My lady laughed; then seeing the anxiety of his face, the tremor of his
clenched fist, she took that fist in her soft, cool fingers and drawing
him within the arbour made him sit beside her.

"Pan dear," she said gently, "O rest secure in this:--'tis true I love
my brother but no ten