culate a fervent "God bless you, my love;" but if Dorothy had
desired anything more to prove the intensity of his feelings, she
would have found it had she looked to see it in his eyes.

While matters had been progressing thus at Haddon, Sir Henry de la
Zouch had been gradually improving in health, until by now he had
found himself almost as well as he had been of yore, and he had
intimated that he was fast getting ready to return to Ashby Castle.

His passion for Dorothy had not abated one whit, and he was deeply
mortified to find how rapidly Manners had been wooing and winning the
maiden.

Yet, although his suit had been rebuffed at every point, he was
not discouraged. Indeed, had his other qualities equalled his
perseverance, he had richly merited a full and good reward; but,
unfortunately, this was his only redeeming trait, and the baseness of
that motive which prompted it poisoned that very virtue too.

He was neither dejected nor cast down, because he felt that he had
within his power a mode of wooing the maiden which, were he but to
use it, could not fail to insure complete success. The plan had its
drawbacks, to be sure, but it was the only one at his command, and
even as he lay upon the sick bed, tossing in agony from side to side,
he was considering whether or no he should carry it out. When he was
better he determined to put it into force upon the first opportunity,
but every relapse undid his resolution, and made him pay attention to
his conscience, which bade him reject the idea.

As a compromise he determined at last to ask Dorothy again for her
hand, and he availed himself of an early opportunity of doing this. He
used all his persuasive eloquence in vain. He pointed to his haggard
face, and told her that a refusal would inevitably complete the work
that Manners had begun, but she was firm; and seeing that nothing
would shake her resolution, he resolved to put his plan into operation
immediately upon his recovery.

It was a deeply-laid scheme, the scheme of a villain, and it revealed
its author in its proper light. As he communicated his plan to his
page, when the latter paid him his final visit, his face glowed with
satisfaction, and he imagined the chagrin his dupes would feel when
they found themselves within his power.

It was necessary, in the first place, to throw Manners off his
guard, and, smarting under the humiliation of his defeat, De la Zouch
determined that his victor should also come