ce had
grown very pale.

"He must not go back to England," said the countess: "we must keep him
here until August--how can we do it?"

"Ask him to stay," said the young girl, simply; "that seems the most
straightforward plan."

"Yes, but it would not be of the least use; he must be influenced. Now I
think that he prefers your society to any other; suppose you plan a tour
through Spain, and ask him to go with us."

The pale face flushed.

"I will if you think he would agree," she replied.

"I believe he would; if he seems inclined to refuse, and you are in the
least degree disturbed over it, I believe firmly that he will go. I do
not think that he knows the strength of his own feelings for you. Let us
try it. You can speak to me about it before him, then I will leave you
with him and you can finish your good work."

"He is not likely to be vexed, is he?" asked Lady Marion, timidly.

"Vexed, my dear child, no; he will consider himself highly favored. You
see it is in this way. I cannot show any eagerness for it, and you can.
My son would suspect my motive; he knows yours must be a good one, and
will feel sure that it is liking for his society--you do like it, do you
not, Lady Marion?"

"Yes, I cannot deny it," replied the young girl, "and I will help you
all I can. You do not wish him to return to England in June. I will do
my best to keep him away."

And the question was--would she succeed?

CHAPTER XXVIII.

HOW IT HAPPENED.

"Mother," said Lord Chandos, "I never knew a month pass as this has
done--the days have wings. It is the sixteenth to-day, and it does not
seem to be twenty-four hours since it was the first."

"That shows, at least, that life has been pleasant to you," said the
countess.

"Yes, it has been very pleasant," he replied, and then he sighed deeply.

"Why do you sigh, Lance? The future can be as pleasant as the past, can
it not?"

He looked up half impatiently.

"I sigh to think that my share in it is all ended. I must be in England
by the end of June."

"Make the most of the time left," said my lady; "there's another week,
at least. Let us go everywhere and see everything. In all probability,
we shall not meet at Nice again."

He had expected contradiction, he had expected his mother to oppose his
desire of returning home, and he was slightly piqued to find that so far
from opposing him, she seemed to fall into the idea as though it were
the most natural one.

"I th