uard over her
countenance in their few meetings since Jenny's departure.

"And after all," as Charlie said, with the cheeriness of one who has
passed his own ordeal, "a man who had taken such a degree as Frank
could not depend on a few weeks of mere cramming."

Frank did come speedily up the road just as the quadrille was in
full force; and perhaps the hindrance had stood him in good stead;
for when the performance ceased in the twilight, and voices were
eagerly talking of renewing it as a fackel-tanz in the later
evening, and only yielding at the recollection of dinner
engagements, it was not Charlie who was taking off Eleonora's
skates; and when, after fixing grand plans for the morrow, Lady
Tyrrell mounted her pony-carriage and looked for her sister, she
heard that Miss Vivian was walking home.

Yes, Miss Vivian was walking home; and there was a companion by her
side feeling as if that dark, hard gravelled road were the pebbly
beach of Rockpier.

"When do you go to London?" she asked.

"To-morrow afternoon. Wish me well through, Lenore."

"Indeed I do."

"Say it again, Lenore! Give me the elixir that will give me power
to conquer everything."

"Don't say such exaggerated things."

"Do you think it is possible to me to exaggerate what a word from
you is to me?" said Frank, in a low voice of intense feeling.

"O Frank! it is wiser not to say such things."

"Wise! what is that to me? It is true, and you have known it--and
why will you not allow that you do, as in those happy old days--"

"That's what makes me fear. It would be so much better for you if
all this had never begun."

"It has begun, then!" murmured Frank, with joy and triumph in the
sound. "As long as you allow that, it is enough for me."

"I must! It is true; and truth must be somewhere!" was whispered in
a strange, low, resolute whisper.

"True! true that you can feel one particle of the intensity--Oh!
what words can I find to make you understand the glow and tenderness
the very thought of you has been!"

"Hush, hush!--pray, Frank. Now, if I do own it--"

"It--what? Let me hear! I'm very stupid, you know!" said Frank, in
a voice of exulting comprehension, belying his alleged stupidity.

"What you have been to me--"

"Have been--eh?" said this cruel cross-examiner.

"Do not let us waste time," said Eleonora, in a trembling voice;
"you know very well."

"Do I?"

"Now, Frank!"

"If you only knew what it would be worth