and expect him to propose to her half a dozen times! By
George!--he had a very good mind to go away and let her find out
her mistake. And he would have done so,--only that he was a man who
always liked to have all that he wanted. It was intolerable to him
that anybody should refuse him anything. "Miss Roanoke," he said; and
then he paused.

"Sir Griffin," said Lucinda, bowing her head.

"Perhaps you will condescend to remember what I had the honour of
saying to you as we rode into Kilmarnock last Wednesday."

"I had just been dragged out of a river, Sir Griffin, and I don't
think any girl ought to be asked to remember what was said to her in
that condition."

"If I say it again now, will you remember?"

"I cannot promise, Sir Griffin."

"Will you give me an answer?"

"That must depend."

"Come;--I will have an answer. When a man tells a lady that he
admires her, and asks her to be his wife, he has a right to an
answer. Don't you think that in such circumstances a man has a right
to expect an answer?"

Lucinda hesitated for a moment, and he was beginning again to
remonstrate impatiently, when she altered her tone, and replied to
him seriously, "In such circumstances a gentleman has a right to
expect an answer."

"Then give me one. I admire you above all the world, and I ask you to
be my wife. I'm quite in earnest."

"I know that you are in earnest, Sir Griffin. I would do neither you
nor myself the wrong of supposing that it could be otherwise."

"Very well then. Will you accept the offer that I make you?"

Again she paused. "You have a right to an answer,--of course; but it
may be so difficult to give it. It seems to me that you have hardly
realised how serious a question it is."

"Haven't I, though! By George, it is serious!"

"Will it not be better for you to think it over again?"

He now hesitated for a moment. Perhaps it might be better. Should she
take him at his word there would be no going back from it. But Lord
George knew that he had proposed before. Lord George had learned
this from Mrs. Carbuncle, and had shown that he knew it. And then,
too,--he had made up his mind about it. He wanted her, and he meant
to have her. "It requires no more thinking with me, Lucinda. I'm not
a man who does things without thinking; and when I have thought I
don't want to think again. There's my hand;--will you have it?"

"I will," said Lucinda, putting her hand into his. He no sooner felt
her assurance tha