ply; she did not even appear to have heard his words.

"I can understand you," she said, gently. "Women have sometimes the rare
gift of entering into the minds of reserved men. I understand you as
though I had known you for years."

His face cleared, his heart beat, his eyes brightened for her as they
had never done for any other woman.

"I can remember," she said, "when I had many similar opinions. I used to
think these, our present days of steam and progress, quite unfit for
heroes; I used to long for olden times again, when, by one great deed, a
man made a great name."

His eyes shone with new fire as he looked at her; it seemed to him that
he had found his other soul at last. His mother laughed at him; Marion
Hautville was sarcastic to him, but this beautiful woman--this
magnificent queen at whose feet men bowed--she not only sympathized with
him, but she had the self-same ideas.

"The great thing that I complain of," said Lady Amelie, "is that there
really seems in these days nothing to do. You, for instance, supposing
that you were ambitious, how would you distinguish yourself?"

And as she asked the question, my lady gave a sidelong look at her
victim and was charmed to see the progress she had made.

CHAPTER X.

Deeper and Deeper Still.

It was not possible that the queen of the ball should be allowed to sit
apart from the dancers long. Many curious glances were bent on the pair
who sat before the grand tier of fragrant blossoms.

"Who is that with Lady Amelie?" asked one of another.

"Mr. Carruthers of Ulverston," was the, reply; and great was the
indignation felt by young ladies and their mammas.

Poor Lady Masham had five marriageable daughters, and none had as yet
received even the faintest shadow of an offer. In her own mind she had
thought of Mr. Carruthers as especially eligible for one of them, and
had resolved, when he did go more into society, upon a decided mode of
attack. Her dismay, when she saw the state of things, can be better
imagined than described.

"My dear," she said to her friend and confidant, Mrs. Scrops, "look,
only look! Lady Amelie has victimized Mr. Carruthers."

"She cannot do him any harm," replied Mrs. Scrops; "she is married, I am
thankful to say."

"There will be no good done with him this season," said poor Lady
Masham. "I would rather he had fallen in love than that she took
possession of him."

But Basil was not allowed to remain very long tete-a-te