s the very pink of perfection."

"But supposing the gentleman were not engaged to you?"

"That would be a different thing."

"I am not engaged to you," said Crosbie. "Such happiness and such
honour are, I fear, very far beyond my reach. But, nevertheless, I am
prepared to testify as to your perfection anywhere."

"And what would Miss Dale say?"

"Allow me to assure you that such opinions as I may choose to express
of my friends will be my own opinions, and not depend on those of any
one else."

"And you think, then, that you are not bound to be enslaved as yet?
How many more months of such freedom are you to enjoy?"

Crosbie remained silent for a minute before he answered, and then he
spoke in a serious voice. "Lady Alexandrina," said he, "I would beg
from you a great favour."

"What is the favour, Mr Crosbie?"

"I am quite in earnest. Will you be good enough, kind enough, enough
my friend, not to connect my name again with that of Miss Dale while
I am here?"

"Has there been a quarrel?"

"No; there has been no quarrel. I cannot explain to you now why I
make this request; but to you I will explain it before I go."

"Explain it to me!"

"I have regarded you as more than an acquaintance,--as a friend. In
days now past there were moments when I was almost rash enough to
hope that I might have said even more than that. I confess that I had
no warrant for such hopes, but I believe that I may still look on you
as a friend?"

"Oh, yes, certainly," said Alexandrina, in a very low voice, and with
a certain amount of tenderness in her tone. "I have always regarded
you as a friend."

"And therefore I venture to make the request. The subject is not one
on which I can speak openly, without regret, at the present moment.
But to you, at least, I promise that I will explain it all before I
leave Courcy."

He at any rate succeeded in mystifying Lady Alexandrina. "I don't
believe he is engaged a bit," she said to Lady Amelia Gazebee that
night.

"Nonsense, my dear. Lady Julia wouldn't speak of it in that certain
way if she didn't know. Of course he doesn't wish to have it talked
about."

"If ever he has been engaged to her, he has broken it off again,"
said Lady Alexandrina.

"I dare say he will, my dear, if you give him encouragement," said
the married sister, with great sisterly good-nature.

CHAPTER XVIII

Lily Dale's First Love-Letter

Crosbie was rather proud of himself when he went to bed. He