e dead of night--and alone! Her fingers
relaxed their hold. "Courage, courage," she murmured; and quickly
laying hold of the knocker again, she smote thrice upon the panel and
listened. There soon fell upon her ear the sound of some one coming in
answer to her summons. The door opened and a sleepy servant stood
regarding her with an air of no small astonishment.

"Is thy master at home?" she inquired, in a voice which, in spite of
her efforts, trembled.

"That he is, young miss, but what wouldst thou with him at this late
hour? He hath but just returned from a journey, and is sore weary.
Canst thou not wait until the morning?"

"I must see him at once; 'tis on the most urgent business."

The hour, coupled with the fairness of the visitor, seemed to fill the
servant with surprise, for he stood a moment looking at her, then
replied:

"If thou wilt step inside, mistress, I'll inform Sir Winter that there
be someone who wishes to hold converse with him, and perchance," he
added with a meaning smile, "he'll not be so badly put out after all.
What name shall I bear to him? It may be one," he continued
significantly, "which would soon draw any bolt Sir Thomas might have
shot."

"No name is necessary," she answered, looking at the man and pointing
with her finger. "I seek thy master and come not to parley with his
menial. Go! Say a lady would speak with him."

The servant read in the girl's eye a look which seemed to brook
neither delay nor familiarity, for he turned and went along the
passage and up the stairway.

As Elinor waited, the utter hopelessness of her mission broke full
upon her, but it was now too late to draw back from her hasty act; the
voice of Winter could be heard exclaiming with a laugh:

"What, a lady to see me at this hour? Troth, I am fatigued, but never
so weary that I cannot look upon a fair face. Admit her."

A door opened and closed; the servant reappeared and beckoned her.
"Sir Thomas will see thee; 'tis the third portal from the landing," he
said, pointing up the stairs leading to the floor above.

As Elinor followed the directions given, she endeavored to frame some
fitting sentence with which to begin her interview, but her agitation
was too great; she could think of none. Arriving before the door she
tapped with her fingers upon the panel.

"Enter, my pretty one," cried a voice. "Thou hast already been
announced."

She stepped within the chamber. Winter sat with his back toward the