e me! you must, Daphne! Look here, I want
you to marry me. I've nothing to offer you, of course; I'm a poor man,
and you've all this horrible money! But I--I love you!--and I'll make
you a good husband, Daphne, that I'll swear. If you'll take me, you
shall never be sorry for it."

He looked at her again, sorely embarrassed, hating himself, yet inwardly
sure of her. Her small frame shook with weeping. And presently she
turned from him and said in a fierce voice:

"Go and tell all that to Elsie Maddison!"

Infinitely relieved, Roger gave a quick, excited laugh.

"She'd soon send me about my business! I should be a day too late for
the fair, in _that_ quarter. What do you think she and I have been
talking about all this time, Daphne?"

"I don't care," said Daphne hastily, with face still averted.

"I'm going to tell you, all the same," cried Roger triumphantly, and
diving into his coat pocket he produced "my tutor's letter." Daphne sat
immovable, and he had to read it aloud himself. It contained the
rapturous account of Herbert French's engagement to Miss Maddison, a
happy event which had taken place in England during the Eton holidays,
about a month before this date.

"There!" cried the young man as he finished it. "And she's talked about
nothing all the time, nothing at all--but old Herbert--and how good he
is--and how good-looking, and the Lord knows what! I got precious sick
of it, though I think he's a trump, too. Oh, Daphne!--you were a little
fool!"

"All the same, you have behaved abominably!" Daphne said, still choking.

"No, I haven't," was Roger's firm reply. "It was you who were so cross.
I couldn't tell you anything. I say! you do know how to stick pins into
people!"

But he took up her hand and kissed it as he spoke.

Daphne allowed it. Her breast heaved as the storm departed. And she
looked so charming, so soft, so desirable, as she sat there in her white
dress, with her great tear-washed eyes and fluttering breath, that the
youth was really touched and carried off his feet; and the rest of his
task was quite easy. All the familiar things that had to be said were
said, and with all the proper emphasis and spirit. He played his part,
the spring woods played theirs, and Daphne, worn out by emotion and
conquered by passion, gradually betrayed herself wholly. And so much at
least may be said to the man's credit that there were certainly moments
in the half-hour between them when, amid the rush of ta