render aid."

"I thank you for what you have done, and now let's go to the others,"
quickly interposed the girl. But one effort to rest her weight upon
her foot dissuaded her from any further immediate endeavor, and so she
sought, unsuccessfully, to turn the conversation in other directions.

"Do you know," he repeated, "that I would like to render such service
that you would never wish for any other servitor?"

"Please," said Dorothy, "let's talk about the wonderful view of sea
and forest and the heaven above."

"I am intense in my admiration of all that is beautiful, and above
all, permit me to say that I admire the beautiful Dorothy." She raised
her hand in protest, but he continued. "May I quote for you a little
gem that is aptly expressive of my sentiments?"

"Well," laughed Dorothy, quizzically looking at her foot, "I am at
your mercy."

The man by her side did not venture to touch her hand, which rested on
the bench almost beside his own, but, with earnest intensity of his
manner, he leaned forward and looked longingly, nay lovingly, into
her eyes till they fell before his gaze. His face, handsome and
animated, his voice musical and well modulated. Every word was spoken
slowly as if to admit of certain assimilation.

"May my Heaven be
A rosary bower,
With one sweet angel,
And that one--Thee!"

There was a moment's pause.

"Miss Calvert," he went on, "I would that my heaven might begin on
earth. It will, if you will be mine."

Dorothy, like all other girls, under similar circumstances, had felt
for a moment the compliment of a man's love, then all at once she
recalled the conversation between Alfy and her quondam lover, and with
her quick intuition, she had recognized her possible inheritance as
the probable cause of Mr. Dauntrey's sudden declaration. Still she
would not be unkind.

"Oh, my foot pains me unbearably. Please, Mr. Dauntrey, get Alfy to
come and help me."

"Just one little word of hope and I fly."

"No, Mr. Dauntrey, I can but say at once, and frankly and firmly,
too, no," and with that she made pretense to such suffering from the
injured foot that the suppliant for her hand had but, with the best
grace he could muster, to comply with her very reasonable request.

Dorothy, when the others came, was able, leaning lightly on Alfy's
arm, to accompany them to the train, and soon was happily interested
in the wonderful panorama spread before their eyes on the retur