n upon his shoulders. Fortunately, there was a chance that he might
persuade Celia to marry him very soon; they would leave England and the
past behind them. She trusted him, would still continue to trust him;
and some day, not to-morrow, as he had decided to do, he would tell her
everything.

Long before ten o'clock the next morning, he was in the wood; and, as
the clock struck, Celia came towards him. As he held her in his arms,
indeed, at the very first sight of her, all his doubts and difficulties
fled. At first they spoke but little; for there is no need for speech
where perfect love exists. But presently, perhaps unconsciously, Celia
led him to talk of his adventures; she had heard many of them yesterday,
but she wanted to hear all again; she was insatiable. Every person he
had met interested her.

"I seem to know them all," she said; "you describe them so beautifully
to me. I should like to meet that funny old Mr. Bloxford and the circus
people; but, much more than any of the others, the lady, Donna Elvira,
who was so kind to you. I love her already!"

Derrick was silent for a moment; then he said:

"You shall meet her soon, if you will, dearest. Don't be startled,
Celia. I'm going to ask you to do something, a great thing. I am going
to ask you to marry me soon, at once. I want you to come back with me."

They had been walking slowly through the wood amongst the trees, his arm
round her; she stopped, the blood suffused her face, then she turned
pale. She was silent for a moment or two as he looked down at her
yearningly, anxiously; then she said in a low voice,

"I will, if you wish it."

He drew her to him, and kissed her passionately, gratefully.

"You will, Celia?" he said, astonished at her goodness to him.

"Yes," she said, simply. "Does it seem so great a thing? No, don't
answer. I feel mean; for, dearest, I'm only too ready. Oh, it's no use
my trying to conceal my love. Think of the time we have been parted, all
the months I've been thinking of and longing for you! Why should I
refuse to marry you, now, this minute, if I could?"

He was silent, as she lay on his breast, her face upturned to his, her
eyes, glowing with woman's tender passion and woman's glad surrender,
meeting his fearlessly and yet with a little pleading in them, as if she
were begging him not to think her immodest.

"I'm not worth such love as yours," said Derrick, his lips drawn
straight. "I'm overwhelmed by it. You're too g