as real substance; this one only the shadow of
love.

"You have not answered my question, Pluma. Will you be my wife?"

Pluma raised her dark, beautiful face, radiant with the light of love,
to his.

"If I consent will you promise to love me better than anything else or
any one in the wide world?"

"I will devote my whole life to you, study your every wish," he
answered, evasively.

How was she to know he had given all his heart to Daisy?

She held out her hands to him with a charming gesture of affection. He
took them and kissed them; he could do neither more nor less.

"I will be your wife, Rex," she said, with a tremulous, wistful sigh.

"Thank you, Pluma," he returned, gently, bending down and kissing the
beautiful crimson lips; "you shall never regret it. You are so kind,
I am going to impose on your good nature. You have promised me you
will be my wife--when may I claim you, Pluma?"

"Do you wish it to be soon?" she asked, hesitatingly, wondering how he
would answer her.

"Yes," he said, absently; "the sooner it is over the better I shall be
pleased."

She looked up into his face, at a loss how to interpret the words.

"You shall set the day, Rex," she replied.

"I have your father's consent that it may take place just as soon as
possible, in case you promised to marry me," he said. "Suppose it
takes place in a fortnight, say--will that be too soon for you?"

She gave a little scream of surprise. "As soon as that?" she murmured;
but ended by readily consenting.

He thanked her and kissed her once more. After a few quiet words they
parted--she, happy in the glamour of her love-dream; he, praying to
Heaven from the depths of his miserable heart, to give him strength to
carry out the rash vow which had been wrung from his unwilling lips.

In his heart Rex knew no one but Daisy could ever reign. Dead, he was
devoted to her memory.

His life was narrowing down. He was all kindness, consideration and
devotion; but the one supreme magnet of all--love--was wanting.

In vain Pluma exerted all her wondrous powers of fascination to win
him more completely. How little he dreamed of the depths of love which
controlled that passionate heart, every throb of which was for
him--that to have won from him one token of warm affection she would
have given all she held dear in this world.

"How does it happen, Rex," she asked, one evening, "you have not asked
me to sing to you since you have asked me to be your