he
says no?"

There was a quick man's step without--a moment, and the door opened, and
Sir Rupert, "booted and spurred" from his ride, was bending over his
mother.

"Louise says you sent for me after I left. What is it, mother--you are
not worse?"

He knelt beside her. Lady Thetford put back the fair, brown hair with
tender touch, and gazed in the handsome face, so like her own, with eyes
full of unspeakable love.

"My boy! my boy!" she murmured, "my darling Rupert! Oh! it is hard, it
is bitter to have to leave you."

"Mother!" with a quick look of alarm, "what is it? Are you worse?"

"No worse, Rupert; but no better. My boy, I shall never be better again
in this world."

"Mother--"

"Hush, my Rupert--wait; you know it is true; and but for leaving you I
should be glad to go. My life has not been so happy since your father
died, Heaven knows, that I should greatly cling to it."

"But, mother, this won't do; these morbid fancies are worst of all.
Keeping up one's spirits is half the battle."

"I am not morbid; I merely state a fact--a fact which must preface what
is to come. Rupert, I know I am dying, and before we part I want to see
my successor at Thetford Towers."

"My dear mother!" amazedly.

"Rupert, I want to see Aileen Jocyln your wife. No, no; don't interrupt
me, and believe me, I dislike match-making quite as cordially as you do;
but my days on earth are numbered, and I must speak before it is too
late. When we were abroad I thought there never would be occasion; when
we returned home I thought so, too, Rupert I have ceased to think so
since May Everard's return."

The young man's face flushed suddenly and hotly, but he made no reply.

"How any man in his senses could possibly prefer May to Aileen is a
mystery I cannot solve; but then these things puzzle the wisest of us at
times. Mind, my boy, I don't really say you do prefer May--I should be
very unhappy if I thought so. I know--I am certain you love Aileen best;
and I am equally certain she is a thousand times better suited to you.
Then, as a man of honor, you owe it to her. You have paid Miss Jocyln
such attention as no honorable gentleman should pay any lady, except the
one he means to make his wife."

Lady Thetford's son rose abruptly, and stood leaning against the mantel,
looking steadfastly into the fire.

"Rupert, tell me truly, if May Everard had not come here would you not
before this have asked Aileen to be your wife?"

"Yes--n