you wish to take you in to dinner? I can't--your mother, you know; and
as there are no titles here to-night, you may make your choice. Would
you like old Dr. Jeffreys, the clergyman?"

"No," she replied, with quiet firmness, "I know him; he took me in once
before. I wish Mr. Allan Quatermain to take me in. He is interesting,
and I want to hear about Africa."

"Very well," he answered, "and he _is_ more interesting than all the
rest put together. But, Luna, why are you always thinking and talking
about Africa? One might imagine that you were going to live there."

"So I may one day," she answered dreamily. "Who knows where one has
lived, or where one will live!" And again I saw that mystic look come
into her face.

I heard no more of that conversation, which it is improbable that anyone
whose ears had not been sharpened by a lifetime of listening in great
silences would have caught at all. To tell the truth, I made myself
scarce, slipping off to the other end of the big room in the hope of
evading the kind intentions of Miss Holmes. I have a great dislike
of being put out of my place, and I felt that among all these local
celebrities it was not fitting that I should be selected to take in
the future bride on an occasion of this sort. But it was of no use, for
presently Lord Ragnall hunted me up, bringing the young lady with him.

"Let me introduce you to Miss Holmes, Quatermain," he said. "She is
anxious that you should take her in to dinner, if you will be so kind.
She is very interested in--in----"

"Africa," I suggested.

"In Mr. Quatermain, who, I am told, is one of the greatest hunters in
Africa," she corrected me, with a dazzling smile.

I bowed, not knowing what to say. Lord Ragnall laughed and vanished,
leaving us together. Dinner was announced. Presently we were wending in
the centre of a long and glittering procession across the central hall
to the banqueting chamber, a splendid room with a roof like a church
that was said to have been built in the times of the Plantagenets. Here
Mr. Savage, who evidently had been looking out for her future ladyship,
conducted us to our places, which were upon the left of Lord Ragnall,
who sat at the head of the broad table with Lady Longden on his right.
Then the old clergyman, Dr. Jeffreys, a pompous and rather frowsy
ecclesiastic, said grace, for grace was still in fashion at such feasts
in those days, asking Heaven to make us truly thankful for the dinner we
were