--not on our
last sad subject, but on the previous one--before I part with you to go
and bury my father?'

'Certainly,' she said, in gentle accents.

'Then have you thought over my position? Will you at last have pity upon
my loneliness by becoming my wife?'

Paula sighed deeply; and said, 'Yes.'

'Your hand upon it.'

She gave him her hand: he held it a few moments, then raised it to his
lips, and was gone.

When Mrs. Goodman rose she was informed of Sir William's death, and of
his son's departure.

'Then the captain is now Sir William De Stancy!' she exclaimed. 'Really,
Paula, since you would be Lady De Stancy by marrying him, I almost
think--'

'Hush, aunt!'

'Well; what are you writing there?'

'Only entering in my diary that I accepted him this morning for pity's
sake, in spite of Uncle Abner. They'll say it was for the title, but
knowing it was not I don't care.'

XI.

On the evening of the fourth day after the parting between Paula and De
Stancy at Amiens, when it was quite dark in the Markton highway,
except in so far as the shades were broken by the faint lights from the
adjacent town, a young man knocked softly at the door of Myrtle Villa,
and asked if Captain De Stancy had arrived from abroad. He was answered
in the affirmative, and in a few moments the captain himself came from
an adjoining room.

Seeing that his visitor was Dare, from whom, as will be remembered, he
had parted at Carlsruhe in no very satisfied mood, De Stancy did not ask
him into the house, but putting on his hat went out with the youth into
the public road. Here they conversed as they walked up and down, Dare
beginning by alluding to the death of Sir William, the suddenness of
which he feared would delay Captain De Stancy's overtures for the hand
of Miss Power.

'No,' said De Stancy moodily. 'On the contrary, it has precipitated
matters.'

'She has accepted you, captain?'

'We are engaged to be married.'

'Well done. I congratulate you.' The speaker was about to proceed to
further triumphant notes on the intelligence, when casting his eye upon
the upper windows of the neighbouring villa, he appeared to reflect on
what was within them, and checking himself, 'When is the funeral to be?'

'To-morrow,' De Stancy replied. 'It would be advisable for you not to
come near me during the day.'

'I will not. I will be a mere spectator. The old vault of our ancestors
will be opened, I presume, captain?'

'It is opened