t of ownership. It gave the girl a thrill of joy; at the
same time it had upon her a kind of subduing effect. So came his next
question, gently as it was put, and it was put very gently.

"Do you not think I have a right to know?"

"Perhaps," she stammered. "Oh, I don't know but you ought to know,--but
how can I tell you! Oh, I don't know how I can tell you!"

Dolly trembled in her doubt and distress; she fought down tears. Both
hands went up to cover her face.

"Is it a trouble in which I can help?"

"I don't know."

"If I am to help, you must tell me something more, Dolly."

"Yes, but I cannot. Oh, if you knew, you would know that I cannot. I
think perhaps you ought to know,--but I cannot tell you! I don't see
how I can tell you!"

"Then do not try to tell me, until we are married," said he soothingly.
"It will be easier then."

"But I think you ought to know before," said Dolly, and he felt how she
trembled in his arms. "If you don't know, you will not be able to
understand"----

"What?" for Dolly paused.

"What I do. You will not understand it."

"What are you going to do?" said Mr. Shubrick, smiling; she knew he was
smiling. "You are going home to be ready to meet me; and the day I
come, we are going to be married. Then you can tell me what you like.
Hey?"

"But you don't know!" cried Dolly. "I can't tell when we shall go home.
I don't know whether father will quit England for all I can say. I
don't know whether he will ever quit it!"

"Then, as I remarked before, I will have the honour to come to England
and fetch you."

"Ah, but I could not go then."

"Why not?"

"I could not leave them alone here."

"Why not here as well as in America?"

"My father needs me here," said Dolly in a low voice and with
tears,--what sharp tears of bitterness!--coming into her eyes.

"Needs you! Do not I need you?" said Mr. Shubrick.

"No," said Dolly. "I am so glad you don't!" And her brown eyes gave one
flash of undoubted, albeit inexplicable, pride and rejoicing into his
face.

"How do you dare say that, Dolly?" he asked in growing curiosity and
mystification.

"You can stand alone," she said, her voice again drooping. Mr. Shubrick
was silent a moment, considering what this might mean. They had not
altered their relative positions during this little dialogue. Dolly's
face was again covered by her hands.

"I don't know if I can stand alone," said Sandie at last slowly; "but I
am not going to try."