so," he replied.

"You never will," said Leone, "my faith is as strong as my love, and you
have it all. I could rather believe now that the heavens would fall over
my head than you could ever for one moment forget me."

"I shall never forget you, sweet," he said; "this is the first time we
have ever been parted since we have been married; you must not be sad
and lonely, Leone."

"I shall spend all my time in thinking of your return," she said.
"Lance, it will comfort me all the time you are away; you will say some
of those beautiful words I love to hear."

He took both her white hands in his.

"My darling," he said, "I love you with all my heart, and I will be true
to you until death."

The sweetness of the words seemed to content her for a time; she laid
her face on his hands for some minutes in wistful silence.

"Leone," said the rich, cheerful voice of the young earl, "I have an
idea that I will bring you good news from home. My father would not have
sent for me unless he wanted me, and I shall make a bargain with him. If
he wants me to do anything, I shall consent only on condition that I
take you to Cawdor."

They talked of it for some minutes; then Leone rose and busied herself
for some time in helping him--her face was pale and her hands trembled.
When the moment came for him to say good-bye he held her in his arms.

"Once again," she whispered.

And he answered:

"My darling wife, I love you, and will be true to you until death."

And those were the last words that for some time she heard him speak.

CHAPTER XV.

AN EXCITING INTERVIEW.

Lady Lanswell looked somewhat startled when her son entered the room.
During those few months of his married life he had altered much; he
looked taller and stronger; the handsome face was covered with a golden
beard and mustache; he looked quite three years older than before his
marriage.

He was a handsome stripling when his mother kissed him and sent him,
with many injunctions as to study, to Dr. Hervey's, a handsome
stripling, with golden down on his lip, and the hue of a ripe peach on
his face; now he was a man of the world, assured, confident, easy in his
carriage and bearing.

He looked at his mother with half-defiance, half-amusement in his eyes.

The strong, handsome woman, whose brave nature had never known fear,
trembled for one moment when she remembered what she had to tell her
son.

He bent down to kiss her, and for one moment her he