thinking about you--not like this, you know, but as the dear, plucky
little girl of the old days."

"The little girl of old days, Dick," she said quietly, "is in no way
changed. I think you know what I thought of you, then. I have never
for a moment wavered. I gave you all the love of my heart, and you
have had it ever since.

"Why, you silly boy," she said, with a laugh, a few minutes later, "I
had begun to think that, just as I had to ask you for a kiss in the
old times, and again when you met me, I should have to take this
matter in hand. Why, I never thought of anything else. Directly I got
old enough to look upon myself as a woman, and young men began to come
to the house, I said to my dear father:

"'It is of no use their coming here, Father. My mind has been made up
for years, and I shall never change.'

"He knew at once what I meant.

"'I don't blame you, my dear,' he said. 'Of course, you are young at
present, but he has won you fairly; and if he is at all like what you
make him out to be, I could not leave you in better hands. He will be
home in another three or four years, and I shall have the comfort of
having you with me, until then. But you must not make too sure of it.
He may fall in love out there. You know that there is plenty of
society at Madras.'

"I laughed at the idea.

"'All the pretty ones either come out to be married, or get engaged on
the voyage, or before they have been there a fortnight. I have no
fear, Father, of his falling in love out there, though I don't say he
might not when he gets home, for of course he thinks of me only as a
little girl.'

"'Well, my dear,' he said, 'we will get him, and his father and
mother, to come down as soon as he gets home. As you have made up your
mind about it, it is only right that you should have the first
chance.'

"It was not to be as he planned, Dick, but you see I have had the
first chance, and it is well it was so, for no one can say how matters
would have turned out, if I had not been on the spot. Do you know,
Dick, I felt that when you rescued me from slavery, you became somehow
straightway my lord and master. As you carried me that night before
you, I said to myself I should always be your little slave; and you
see, it has come quite true."

"I don't know about that, Annie. We are in England now, and there are
no slaves. You will be the mistress now, and I your devoted servant."

"It will be as I say, Dick," she said tenderly. "I f