scruples of conscience when she had seemed to attack him, but now he
did not know how to refuse her request. It amounted to so little! "I
don't suppose it will ever take place, but I think I ought to allow
myself to consider myself as engaged to you," she said.

"As it is you are free to marry anyone else," he replied.

"I don't care for such freedom. I don't want it. I couldn't marry a man
whom I didn't love."

"Nobody knows what that they can do till they're tried."

"Do you suppose, sir, I've never been tried? But I can't bring myself
to laugh now, Jack. Don't joke now. Heaven knows when we may see each
other again. You will promise me that, Jack?"

"Yes;--if you wish it." And so at last she had got a promise from him!
She said nothing more to fix it, fearing that in doing so she might
lose it; but she threw herself into his arms and buried her face upon
his bosom.

Afterwards, when she was leaving him, she was very solemn in her manner
to him. "I will say good-bye now, Jack, for I shall hardly see you
again to speak to. You do love me?"

"You know I do."

"I am so true to you! I have always been true to you. God bless you,
Jack. Write me a line sometimes." Then he escaped, having brought her
back to the garden among the flowers, and he wandered away by himself
across the park. At last he had engaged himself. He knew that it was
so, and he knew that she would tell all her friends. Adelaide Houghton
would know, and would, of course, congratulate him. There never could
be a marriage. That would, of course, be out of the question. But,
instead of being the Jack De Baron of old, at any rate free as air, he
would be the young man engaged to marry Augusta Mildmay. And then he
could hardly now refuse to answer the letters which she would be sure
to write to him, at least twice a week. There had been a previous
period of letter-writing, but that had died a natural death through
utter neglect on his part. But now----. It might be as well that he
should take advantage of the new law and exchange into an Indian
regiment.

But, even in his present condition, his mind was not wholly occupied
with Augusta Mildmay. The evil words which had been spoken to him of
Mary had not been altogether fruitless. His cousin Adelaide had told
him over and over again that Lady George was as other women,--by which
his cousin had intended to say that Lady George was the same as
herself. Augusta Mildmay had spoken of his Phoenix in the s