oney is the ro

have, to be sure; much good that is to anyone nowadays! In case of your refusing the conditions imposed upon you by the late lord's will, which Lady McAllister is deter

my cousin?" qu

at is im

is she

. I'm not good at descriptions, especially of la

t her disposition, her ch

o Lady Margaret. She is self-reliant, sensible, a thorough wom

er possess Dunmorton I s

o make a name for yourself? Your cousin could help you in that. They say she

d No?l slowly. "What of

of your sense hesitating in such a matter. This Marie will get over it; all

nd he did not consider it at all probable that Marie Gourdon would ever

ecause of a little French girl. Umph! I've no patience with you, but, young man, you've got to decide before to-morrow's mail goes out. I must write to Lady McAllister. Good-bye

ining that there could be no hesitatio

was too tempting. To leave forever the monotony of a life at Father Point, to plunge all at once into luxury and riches, that was a dazzling prospect, with only Marie Gourdon on the other side to counter-balance these attractions. And she had been so slow in telling him she cared for him that even now he half doubted whether she really did, in spite of the truthfulness in her great

would have been difficult, even to a m

by next morning the die must be cast one way or the other, his head ached with the effort of anxious thou

each branch and leaf overhanging the pathway. The cold, clear light threw into s

was he in his own meditations. Presently, however, a figure crossed his path. He started, and looked up to see a girl in a red cl

e you doing out so far alone, and at th

ed to have met you. I have some

ve sent for me. You cannot talk to me here. L

r are in the house, and I wish to speak to you alone,

is tremendo

er the question

tells me you a

eplied hesitatingly. "I think not. No no

a glad light coming into her eyes. "What,

out that; but there are condit

e the co

ll have to leave y

would be no n

do you me

proudly. "I could never stan

ay to me most solemnl

ngtemps qu

ne t'oub

it an easy thing to decide now, but in after years you would regret remaining here. With your gifts, your ambition, you would be thrown

gry tone. "You can never have cared for

use I do care so much for you that I do not wish you to waste your life here." S

fectly sure you never cared for me or you

-comprehension of her most unselfish motives. Presently she turned to him, and said in a hurried ton

had been made so entirely without effort on his part, that his breath was fairly taken away. But, beneath all his surprise and wounded pride was a feeling of reli

esting of all studies. Had your teaching been different, No?l McAllister might have had a different estimation of the depths of a nature like Marie Gourdon's, of a woman's true unselfish devotion. He might have made a