Eveline

either to see us go in or out.'

'Trust IT to me, please. You had better come in by the front door of the shop and order something at the counter. Your friend had best come down the little passage, and in by the side entrance. I will look out for him, if you come first.'

'That plan will be excellent. I will be here as near three o'clock as possible.'

'Leave all to me. You will be satisfied.'

The good woman laughed. She saw the double sense of her words.

'At least-I hope so! Good bye till then. I will see that everything is all right.'

I returned to the house filled with anticipation, but also with some dread. 'Who is upstairs, Mr. Ferguson? There is a carriage at the door. This is hardly the time for visitors-only a quarter to twelve yet.'

'Lord Endover has come by appointment to see Sir Edward, Miss Eveline. He is with him now in the study.'

The fat butler had assumed his most pompous manner. It did one good to see the obsequious bow with which he announced this fact. John had often tried in vain to imitate his style. The butler was sublime, while John was only ridiculous. The obvious understudy made me laugh sometimes. Presently the Earl came down. I shut myself in the dining room while Ferguson bowed him out. A pair of splendid grays was harnessed to a neat brougham. A very unassuming device occupied the center of the door panel. The men were in plain livery. Everything was in good taste. Lord Endover rose in my estimation. I no longer ridiculed him for dropping the 'Tipp,' though I wondered what he could want with Sir Edward at that hour. Suddenly I remembered he was holding office in the Ministry, though not in the Cabinet, and no doubt the Government wanted some information of a military character-or stop-was it about the peerage? I had told papa all the Duchess had communicated. He was evidently gratified with the prospect I unfolded to him.

'Sir Edward would like to see you in the study, miss.'

'Very will, Mr. Ferguson, I'll go there immediately. Please order my horse with the large saddle, at half past two, and tell Johnson he is to ride the mare.'

'Yes, miss. I will go round myself about it.'

I found papa in a glorious mood. He strove, however, with his usual prudence to hide his exultation.

'It never rains but it pours, Eveline. Here is news from Percy by the second delivery. He is on his way home from Montreal.'

'Oh, papa, I am so glad! I shall be so pleased to see him again.'

'But that is not all. Lord Endover brought the formal offer of the peerage. Are you pleased again?'

'I am always pleased when my darling papa is happy. I am simply delighted.'

'But even that is not all. I have not got to the end of my list of news yet. I do not know, my child, if you will be pleased or not at the tag.'

His voice wavered. He seemed anxious and uncertain as to his next words.

'Can you guess what else Lord Endover came about, Eveline?'

'I think I can. I would rather you tell me what he said.'

'The Earl makes a formal request to be allowed to pay his court to you-nothing more.'

'His lordship does me a great honor. I am too young for him. He will soon change his mind. Men are fickle. I have no desire to figure in the society papers as the fiancee of Lord Endover.'

I had really no reason to feel piqued. I suppose it was only the waywardness of my sex which possessed me. I was really pleased. The man had done the proper thing. He was, at any rate, a gentleman. His way of putting the proposal showed a real regard for my own feelings. I watched Sir Edward's expression. It was dubious. A shadow rested on it which I thought had a foundation in a feeling of jealousy.

'What does my dear papa think of it?'

I sat on his footstool. I laid my hand on his. I waited for the reply which would give me my cue.

'I think, my darling, that sooner or later, you will have to follow the ordinary destiny of rich young ladies who are desirable matches for our aristocracy. You will marry, my dear Eveline. Under these circumstances, it is better to think of it while you have youth and beauty. You cannot remain always with me. Any day some unlucky contretemps might bring trouble. I sometimes dread to think of the horrible risks we run. It makes me often quite nervous. You must have observed it, my darling.'

Indeed I had. I saw with great regret that the mental strain, quite apart from the exhaustion of the system at his time of life when the fresh vigor of youth has passed, already wore him down.

I threw my arms around him. For a moment a whirlwind of remorse encompassed me. It passed on. It left me calm again.

'Do with me as you will, dear papa. Your little Eveline will never cease to love you. It is as you say. I know it-I feel it.

'I shall write to the Earl that we shall hope to see him at dinner on Thursday next.'

' 'Johnson, look at that girth before I mount-loosen the curb a little. That's better.'

'Goorkha's very fresh, Miss Eveline, you should be careful. I had him yesterday in the park for an hour-that's all.'

'I'm not afraid of him, Johnson. Now, put me up.'

The horse knew me and trusted me. I never made him nervous. He had never played tricks with me as he did with the groom. He looked round with a snort of delight when he saw me come out. I am convinced that the horse in his equine heart admired me as much as the men did. If it be true, as I think it certainly is, that the affection towards the human race of the so-called lower animals is founded on gratitude and natural affection, I am equally sure that a large share of deceit and duplicity, unknown to 'lower animals,' may be ascribed to my own sex. How many women dupe and then ridicule men! These women have no heart, and are generally kleptomaniacs like the woman Osborn, who was convicted of robbing her cousin of her jewels, and tried to throw the infamy upon the husband of her victim.

We were near the Powder Magazine in Hyde Park-possibly that accounted for my present explosive frame of mind. I reined my horse up.

'Johnson! I want to speak to you-but not here. I shall ride to Oxford Street and dismount. Please call me a four-wheel cab there, put up the horses and follow me to this address. Do not let it blow away. And be sharp-do you understand? Bring the bit of paper back to me at the address on it.'

Johnson was Jim. I wore only a short riding habit. I alighted. I entered the cab. Jim touched his hat. The driver whipped up his horse. I had already given him the address of the afternoon tea shop.

'You are early, but all is ready, and as it is still cold, I have had a fire prepared in the room upstairs.'

'Thanks. You will know my friend. He is dressed like a groom with belt and buckskins. He will be here presently.'

I waited about a quarter of an hour. I heard a knock at the door on the little landing at the head of the spiral staircase. I gave the usual permission. Jim appeared. He had a rather puzzled look on his young and handsome face. He was splendid in his livery-white breeches and top boots.

'Come in, Johnson. I desire to ask you if you are not sorry for what you did to me in the stable and other day?'

I had put on my most serious air. I pursed up my mouth and frowned viciously. My manner was a stage copy of Sir Langham Beamer.

Jim fidgeted with his hat in his hand. He looked very uncomfortable.

'Are you aware of the enormity of the offense you committed? You took advantage of my youth and innocence. You forced me down upon the straw. You violated me. Do you know the penalty for such a dreadful thing?'

'I thought miss-I felt sure, miss-I-'

'Wait a moment. What do you suppose would happen if I were to have informed Sir Edward of the shocking thing you did to me? He would surely prosecute you. I am under age, and you are probably aware that under the recent Act-ahem-under the new Statute, you would certainly be committed for trial for a dreadful rape upon a young lady. Then you would be tried by a jury of your countrymen and you would be sentenced to at least twenty years penal servitude, if not for the term of your natural life. All this because you cannot keep that nasty great thing between your legs in order. What have you to say to all this?'