A Devotee

soleil tomber bie

s des bois et l

en aller que le

ant des

d de

r's sitting-room and pressing her round, cool cheek against

s him, Peggy, as many other

im, I feel-I don't know what I feel, only I know it's good, and I want to do something for hi

treasure, as he is

anybody. I can't believe it. It

said Lady Pierpo

gs as no one else does, and that she understands him, and that

dee

s that she can't even mention to Molly and me. She says it

fferent,' said Lady Pierpo

ilderleigh last year. If I had been Sibyl, I would have married him, and then I'll tell you, mummy, what I would have done. I would have asked Mr. Loftus to let us live with him at Wilderleigh, and

ell you a secret? I think that is exactl

had an interview with Doll the day before the announ

s his nephew, though he was in reality his first cousin-and to him and

at last Mr. Loftus left him, Doll sat for a long time looking over the geraniums into the park. The so

t, half aloud. 'But Uncle George

ay by his brother officers on being cut o

ave looked at one of you any more than she would at me. I suppose she

which should never be mentioned between gentlemen-anyhow, I mean to borr

rranging a month ago, on the afternoon when he had called on Lady Pierpoint. It was like awakening from a nightmare to realize t

osed as being so extra good always did. How shocked Mr. Loftus had pretended to be when old Lord Bugbear, after his infamous life, married a girl of seventeen! And now he, Mr. Loftus, was doing exactly the same himself. Of course he had a very fascinating manner-just the kind of manner to impose on a young girl who, like Miss Carruthers, knew nothing of the world, and had been nowhere. And everyone knew he was desperately poor. Wilderleigh could hardly pay its way. A rumour had

le-not, perhaps, for another man, but certainly for him. His intimate friends were distressed, and greeted him with grave cordiality and affection, and hoped for an explanation. He gav

unequal friendship, which he had not been the one to begin, and which was an effort to him to continue, still, he took advantage of being misunderstood to lay aside many such friendships. It was not pride which prompted this line of action on Mr. Loftus's part, though many put it down to pride, especially those who had held aloof from him at a certain doub

certainly be presently deserted by those who have never grasped the meaning of the character which has been the object of their transient admiration. 'If he is unequal he will presently pass away.' Mr. Loftus neither hurried the

is engagement. They said openly that they were much disappoint

o, will presently pass away; but I shall not give her time to do so. She will be absorbed by her first love for a few years, and I

than in those of a younger man. For youth perpetrates many murders and mutilations in the name of love, as the schoolboy's love of a butterfly finds expression in a pin and a cork. But it would have cut Sibyl to the heart if she had even guessed that his tranquil mind took for granted that her adorat

lf-closed eyes. 'But in the meanwhile I have learnt a lesson in natural history. I shall not expect my butterfly t

ched upon the drawn sword in the ardent sunshine. And he thought of the drawn sword of Damocles hanging ove