subject-if it be the one which we agreed together should for the future be a sealed one between us.'

6

Except under certain contingencies,' he put in hastily.

'There was one, and only one, Raymond, and you have just ༡ informed me that that has not taken place. You are breaking your plighted word in reopening any discussion concerning----’

'One moment, Nellie,' interrupted the young man passionately. 'You must have patience with me, and hear me and my cause before dismissing it-and me-for ever. I have not broken faith, as you will acknowledge, in thus addressing you again, in thus, if you will have it so, importuning you again. I am sorry to distress you, I would give my life to save you pain-but then I am pleading for more than life. Moreover, I have an excuse; I am in a different position from that I occupied upon the last occasion when I dared to say, "I love you, dearest."

'In a better one then, I hope-that is, for your sake,' she added hastily.

I thought you would have hoped it for both our sakes,' replied he. He had no selfish motive in thus speaking, no desire to make her commit herself, to acknowledge her love for him, before he had shown that their union was practicable. He spoke only out of his heart's abundance; but directly the words had passed his lips he perceived that such an interpretation was possible. I am not come to trouble you, Nellie,' he went on earnestly; but only to say a few words on-business. My father wrote to you some weeks ago, I think.'

'Yes, he did. He was good enough to renew the same offer to myself that he made through you to my poor mother. An allowance of 400l. a year. It was very handsome of him.'

Raymond shook his head.

'Well, so I thought, at all events, and I think so now. refused it. I am sure you think that I did right.'

But I

'I am not sure I do,' said Raymond thoughtfully. May I ask

if that offer was made without conditions?'

Nellie hesitated; the conditions had been only implied.
There was no condition stated,' she answered after a little

pause.

6

Then you ought to have taken the allowance, Nellie. My father would never have felt it; it would have been a mere fleabite. He is a much richer man than you or I ever imagined him to be.'

'I have never given my attention to the extent of Mr. Pennicuick's fortune.'

'I don't suppose you have, Nellie,' answered the young man

gravely; and what appears to some people curious is that I had not considered the matter myself. Only when-when that false tidings first came over from China, my father's lawyer, Mr. Tatham, had occasion to make certain disclosures to me. If matters had turned out as then seemed certain, I should (he told me) be a very rich man. Four hundred a year out of my income would certainly not have hurt me.'

6

That makes no difference as to my case,' observed Nellie, wondering whither all this should tend.

Perhaps not; and to mine only indirectly; thus: my father sent for his lawyer the other day, and, talking to him of this and that, expressed his wish that I was not to be told of his possession of a certain sum, no less than 20,000l.-of the existence of which he supposed me to be ignorant; only Tatham had, as it happened, already informed me of the fact. No doubt my father would have been angry: especially as the disclosure was made under the impression that I had succeeded to his throne; and hereupon the lawyer felt great alarm. In order to bribe me to secrecy-though I hope such a precaution was unnecessary-he has entrusted me with another secret, which time indeed must needs soon disclosebut which in the mean time is of immense importance to me. started off within half an hour after I heard it to come and tell you with my own lips.'

it

I

• Indeed! It is good news, I trust, though I cannot read it in your face."

'Because my face does not know whether it be good or indifferent. That will depend on you, Nellie.'

Raymond's voice was always musical, but this time when he spoke her name it sounded like the fragment of a song. She was still sitting on the stone, with her paint-brush lying idle in its box beside her; her face was turned up to his with quiet firmness, as he stood on the sand with his eyes fixed tenderly-but not confidently-upon ner. There was genuine passion in his tone, but also earnestness, as though he believed with all his heart in the arguments he was about to urge; yet he had the air of a man who is pleading a lost cause.

'I did speak to my father about you, Nellie, though without using your name to back my suit. If I had done so, it would have been all the same. He would never, I think, have given his

consent to our marriage.'

It was not likely, Raymond; anyone but yourself would have known as much.'

'It was natural that I should put faith in my own father,' said he simply. I thought I could have convinced him that my