yhood up Rex and Lester had been rivals. At college Rex
had carried off the honors with flying colors. Pluma Hurlhurst, the
wealthy heiress, had chosen Rex in preference to himself. He stood
little chance with bright-eyed maidens compared with handsome,
careless, winning Rex Lyon.

Quite unobserved, he had witnessed the meeting between Rex and Daisy
at the fountain, and how tenderly he clasped her in his arms as they
waltzed together in the mellow light, to the delicious strains of the
"Blue Danube," and knowing Rex as well as he did, he knew for the
first time in life Rex's heart was touched.

"It would be a glorious revenge," Stanwick had muttered to himself,
"if I could win her from him." Then a sordid motive of revenge alone
prompted him--now he was beginning to experience the sweet thrillings
of awakened love himself. Yes, he had learned to love Daisy for her
own sweet self.

He smiled as he thought of the last words Pluma Hurlhurst had said to
him: "Revenge is sweet, Lester, when love is turned to bitter hatred.
Help me to drag Rex Lyon's pride as low as he has this night dragged
mine, and you shall have my hand as your reward. My father is an
invalid--he can not live much longer--then you will be master of
Whitestone Hall." As he had walked down the broad gravel path, running
his eye over the vast plantation stretching afar on all sides, like a
field of snow, as the moonlight fell upon the waving cotton, he owned
to himself it was a fair domain well worth the winning.

But as he stood there, gazing silently down upon little Daisy's
face--how strange it was--he would have given up twenty such
inheritances for the hope of making sweet little Daisy Brooks his
wife.

It was well for Daisy Brooks he little dreamed of the great barrier
which lay between them, shutting him out completely from all thoughts
of love in Daisy's romantic heart.

CHAPTER XII.

"Please go away," sobbed Daisy. "Leave me to myself, and I will get
up."

"Very well," said Stanwick, involuntarily raising her little white
hands courteously to his lips; "and remember, I warn you, for your own
sake, not to dispute the assertion I have made--that you are my
wife."

"Why?" asked Daisy, wistfully. "They will forgive me when I tell them
how it all came about."

"You do not know women's ways," he replied. "They would hand you over
at once to the authorities; you would bring disgrace and ruin upon
your own head, and bitter shame to Jo