re you feeling better?'

And to her amazement he approached her with an outstretched hand.
Elizabeth mechanically placed her own in it.

'I know what you want,' he said impetuously. 'You've got a head full
of dreams. They're not my dreams--but you've a right to them--so
long as you're kind to mine.'

'I try to be,' she said with a rather tremulous lip.

At that moment the library door opened. Neither perceived it.
Desmond came in softly, lest his father should be at work. A carved
oak screen round the door hid his entrance, and as he emerged into
the light his eyes caught the two distant figures standing hand in
hand.

Instinctively he stepped back a few paces and noisily opened the
door. The Squire walked away.

'Why, Desmond!' said his father, as the boy emerged into the light,
'your train's punctual for once. Thank you, Miss Bremerton--that'll
do. Kindly write to those people and say that I am considering the
matter. I needn't keep you any longer....'

That night a demon came to Elizabeth and offered her a Faust-like
bargain. Ambition--noble ambition on the one side--an 'elderly
lunatic' on the other. And she began to consider it!

CHAPTER XI

Everybody in Mannering had gone to bed but Desmond and Pamela. It
was not certain indeed that the Squire had gone to bed, but as there
was a staircase beside one of the doors of the library leading
direct to his room, it was not likely that he would cross the hall
again. The twins felt themselves alone.

'I daresay there'll be a raid to-night,' said Desmond, 'it's so
bright and still. Put down that lamp a moment, Pamela.'

She obeyed, and he threw away his cigarette, went to one of the
windows, and drew up the blinds.

'Listen!' he said, holding up his hand. Pamela came to his side, and
they both heard through the stillness that sound of distant guns
which no English ear had heard--till now--since the Civil War.

'And there are the searchlights!'

For over London, some forty miles away behind a low range of hills,
faint fingers of light were searching the sky.

'At this very moment, perhaps,'--said the boy between his
teeth--'those demons are blowing women and children to pieces--over
there!'

Pamela shivered and laid her cheek against his shoulder. But both he
and she were aware of that strange numbness which in the fourth year
of the war has been creeping over all the belligerent nations, so
that horror has lost its first edge, and the minds, whe