rely a clerk."

"A clerk?" repeated Miss Rose, with a very well-managed shudder. "How
can I suppose such an absurd thing as that?"

"But if I were?" urged his lordship, feverishly.

"It's no use supposing such a thing as that," said Miss Rose, briskly;
"your high birth is stamped on you."

His lordship shook his head.

"I would sooner be a laborer on this farm than a king anywhere else," he
said, with feeling.

Miss Rose drew a pattern on the floor with the toe of her shoe.

"The poorest laborer on the farm can have the pleasure of looking at you
every day," continued his lordship passionately. "Every day of his life
he can see you, and feel a better man for it."

Miss Rose looked at him sharply. Only the day before the poorest laborer
had seen her--when he wasn't expecting the honor--and received
an epitome of his character which had nearly stunned him. But his
lordship's face was quite grave.

"I go to-morrow," he said.

"Yes," said Jane, in a hushed voice.

He crossed the room gently and took a seat by her side. Miss Rose,
still gazing at the floor, wondered indignantly why it was she was not
blushing. His Lordship's conversation had come to a sudden stop and the
silence was most awkward.

"I've been a fool, Miss Rose," he said at last, rising and standing over
her; "and I've been taking a great liberty. I've been deceiving you for
nearly a fortnight."

"Nonsense!" responded Miss Rose, briskly.

"I have been deceiving you," he repeated. "I have made you believe that
I am a person of title."

"Nonsense!" said Miss Rose again.

The other started and eyed her uneasily.

"Nobody would mistake you for a lord," said Miss Rose, cruelly. "Why,
I shouldn't think that you had ever seen one. You didn't do it at all
properly. Why, your uncle Cray would have done it better."

Mr. Cray's nephew fell back in consternation and eyed her dumbly as she
laughed. All mirth is not contagious, and he was easily able to refrain
from joining in this.

"I can't understand," said Miss Roset as she wiped a tear-dimmed eye--"I
can't understand how you could have thought I should be so stupid."

"I've been a fool," said the other, bitterly, as he retreated to the
door. "Good-by."

"Good-by," said Jane. She looked him full in the face, and the blushes
for which she had been waiting came in force. "You needn't go, unless
you want to," she said, softly. "I like fools better than lords."

[Illustration: I like fools bette