"I'll do my best to make Nell happy," he said; "and you must make the
best of a bad bargain, my dear Mrs. Lorton; and if you feel like being
very good to me, you'll help me persuade Nell to an early marriage."

She brightened up at the word marriage, and at the prospect of playing a
part in the function beloved of all women; and when Nell stole in, with
pink cheeks and glowing eyes, drew the girl to her and bestowed a
pecklike kiss upon her forehead.

Mrs. Lorton provided the conversation during that meal, and, while she
prosed about the various marriages in the Wolfer family, Nell listened
in dutiful silence, now and again flushing and thrilling as Drake's hand
touched hers or his eyes sought her face.

And Dick behaved very well. He reserved his chaff for a future occasion,
and only permitted himself one allusion to the state of affairs by
taking Nell's hand and murmuring: "Beg pardon, Nell! Thought it was a
spoon!"

As Drake walked down the hill to the Brownies' cottage his heart
throbbed with the first pure happiness of his life. Nell's kiss, which
she had given him at parting at the gate, glowed warm upon his lips. And
if his happiness was alloyed by the reflection that he was deceiving her
in the matter of his rank, he thrust it from him.

After all, what did it matter? What would she care? It was he, the man,
not the viscount, whom she loved. Yes, the gods had been good to him,
notwithstanding the ruin of his prospects; for was he not loved for
himself alone?

He smiled, with a sense of the irony of circumstances, when he
remembered that only a few weeks ago he had congratulated himself that
he had "done with women!" But at that time he had not fallen in love
with Nell of Shorne Mills, and won her love; which made all the
difference!

And Nell? She lay awake in a sleepless dream. Every word he had spoken
came back to her like the haunting refrain of a beautiful song; the
expression in his eyes, the touch of his hand--ah! and more, the kiss of
his lips--were with her still. It was her first love. No man before
Drake had ever spoken of love to her; it was her virgin heart which he
had won; and when this is the case the man assumes the proportions of a
god to the girl.

And it seemed so wonderful, so incredible, that he should have fallen in
love with her, that he should have chosen her; as his queen, as his
wife. She tried to draw a mental picture of herself, to account for his
preference for her, and