uch in love
with him--poor thing! she has tried to conceal it as well as ever she
could; but you must have seen it, Francie--a woman's eyes must have seen
it--"

"Oh, yes, Maurice!" his companion said; then she added, "And--and don't
you think Linn is just as much in love with her? I am sure of it! It's
just dreadful to think of her going away again--these two being
separated as they were before--and Linn perhaps fretting himself into
another illness, though never speaking a word--"

"But how am I to ask her to stay?" Maurice demanded, as if in appeal to
her woman's wit. "There's Miss Burgoyne. Linn himself could only ask
Nina to stay on one condition--and Miss Burgoyne makes it impossible."

"Then," said Francie, grown bold, "if I were you, Maurice, I would go
straight to Miss Burgoyne, and I would say to her, 'My friend Lionel is
in love with another woman; he never was in love with you at all; _now_
will you marry him?'"

[Illustration: "_Maurice walked back until he found a gate, entered, and
went forward and overtook her._"]

"Yes, very pretty," he said, moodily. "The first thing she would do
would be to call a policeman and get me locked up as a raging lunatic.
And what would Linn say to me about such interference when he came to
hear of it? No, I must leave them to manage their own affairs, however
they may turn out; the only thing I should like in the meantime would be
for Nina to see Linn before she goes. That's all; and that I think I
could manage."

"How, Maurice?"

"Well, there is simply nothing she wouldn't do for Linn's sake," he made
answer; "and if I were to tell her I thought it would greatly help his
recovery if he were to know that she was well, that she was here in
London and ready to be friends with him and looking forward to his
getting better, then I am pretty sure she would remain for that little
time at least, and do anything we asked of her. Of course it would not
do for them to meet just now--Linn is too weak to stand any
excitement--and he will be so for some time to come; still, I think Nina
would wait that time if we told her she could be of help. Then once
these two have seen each other and spoken, let them take the management
of their own affairs. Why, good gracious me!" he exclaimed, in lighter
tones, "haven't you and I got our own affairs to manage, too? I have
just been drawing up a code of regulations for the better governing of a
wife!"

"Oh, indeed!" said Francie.