and it was a sore trial for him to
promise compliance with the unjust demands which her father might make
on him. Mrs Armytage had spoken as she felt she was bound to do. In
her heart she rebelled against her husband's commands. Edda was old
enough both to judge and act for herself, she considered. She had
perfect confidence in her sense and discretion. Scarcely conscious of
what she was doing, she rose from her seat and went to her room, leaving
her daughter and Ronald together. The window recess was very deep; Edda
had retired into it, and was thus concealed from the view of the people
at the other end of the room. Ronald stood with his back towards them.

"Edda, I have never ceased to think of you, to ground all my
expectations of earthly happiness on the hopes of making you mine," he
exclaimed in a low deep voice. "You require no assurances of my love
and my constancy; then promise me that you will not consent to become
another's whatever may occur. I dare not ask you to disobey your
father, and marry me against his will; but for your own sake, for mine,
I do entreat you not to yield to his authority so far as to marry one
you cannot love. I have hopes, great hopes that his objections to me
may be removed; but till they are so, I dread lest he should compel you
to give your hand to some one else. The promise I ask will give you
strength to resist any unjust exercise of authority. No one holds in
more respect than I do the duty of the obedience of a child to a parent;
but in this case it would, I am certain, work woe to you, sorrow to your
mother, and ultimate regret to your father. You will be firm, Edda?
Promise me."

"Indeed, indeed I will," answered Miss Armytage. "Most faithfully and
unreservedly I promise you that."

At that moment there was a commotion among the people at the other end
of the room, and a scraping of their feet on the floor as they rose from
their seats. They simultaneously began to bow with a formal air; the
noise they had created made Ronald turn his head, and as he did so, he
saw an officer in full uniform entering the room, followed by a number
of persons in various costumes. A second glance told Ronald that
Colonel Armytage was before him.

Ronald at once advanced to meet him, and said, "I am an officer of his
Majesty's ship `Imperious.' I was sent by my captain to communicate
with the people in this district, and hearing that you were in the
neighbourhood, I considere