Innocent : her fancy and his fact

y in his for a moment,-then quietly withdrew them. A hot colour rushed

?" she faltered-"

he died," he answered-"She gave me all the

she had received a numbing blow. Miss Le

I had known it all before!-I might have

her side and impuls

on earth could have been kinder than my beloved little g

ned towards

sorry that anyone knows my story-it is no use to know it, really! I should have always kept it a secret-for it chiefly con

ved him!" said Lor

im with wistful

le! I am a nameless creature-I took his name because I wanted to kindle a little light of my own round it-I have done that! And then I wanted to guard his memory from any whisper of scandal-will you help me in this

eloquence of her appeal, Lord Blythe went up to h

r own. You have made a brilliant name and fame for yourself-you have the right to that name and fame. I came here to-day for two reasons-one to tell you that I was fully acquainted with all you had endured and suffered-the other to ask i

nnocent, drawing her embracing arm away from Miss

me and place!-and I-the poor, unfortunately born child of your dead friend! Ah, you ki

re selfishness!-for I'm getting old and am lonely-and-and I want someone to look

ught his hand

the highest ranks of that society where you are a leader, and you would surround me with so many advantages and powerful friends that I should forget my duty, which is to work for myself, and

ed at her anxio

a safe and splendid one for you-but there!-do not ask ME!" and the old lady wiped away one or two trickling tears from her eyes-"I a

dered to the portrait of the man whose mem

came here when I asked you if you were any relation to Pierce A

e girl answered, in soft, grave accents-"And

s silence. Then she

e arm-chair for him, while she drew Miss Leigh gently down on the sofa and sat next to her-"It is nothing of a story!-my little life is not at all like the liv

ative of her childhood's days-her life on Briar Farm-how she had been trained by Priscilla to bake, and brew, and wash and sew,-and how she had found her chief

name with an unconscio

he interr

thing! I know a rathe

urely you were dancing

st me

colour swept

ually connected with a branch of the same family! HIS ancestor was the brother of that very Amadis who lies

e did not look impressed-"I th

a picture of me, because I have been a student of the books written by one of his ancient

liked Jocelyn-he's clever-yet he has always struck me as bei

and her breath cam

needn't discuss him-need we? I just wanted to tell you what an odd experience it has been for me to meet and to know someone descended from the family of the old French knight whose spirit

Lord Blythe, with a slight smile-"An

oked at him q

nk not?"

a quic

in its highest form is so little known that it may be almost termed non-existent. You"-and he looked at Innocent-"you write in a very powerful and convincing way about things of which you can have had no real experience-and therein lies your charm! You restore the lost youth of man

ent s

said, almost joyously. "The story of the old French knight is, in its way, a pr

hild, I should advise you not to make too many ideals apart from the characters in the books you write. Fortunately your special ta

she had not spoken of Robin Clifford,-some instinct told her that the sympath

ny modern books-but to me they seem to lack the real feeling of the old-time literature. For instance, if you read the account of the battle of the Armada by a modern his

er eyes shone,-Lord Bly

great age and they were great men. Our times, though crowded with the splendid discoveries of science, seem small and

m by a look, a

-by, when the conventional time of mourning for my poor wife is over. Ma

med, impulsively-"Are

will you come with me-

uld have been like the dawn of a new day to him had she

some work that I have promised. But some day

nt slowly fr

I may live to be with

ndon just now-but the h

m best away

h, sympathetically-"And if

my first gift to her mother." Here he opened the case and showed an exquisite pendant, in the shape of a dove, finely wrought in superb brilliants, and supported on a thin

fair skin. She was too much moved to express any worded thanks-it was not the value or the beauty of the gift that touch

rehead. "You are famous and independent, but the world is not always kind to a clever woman even when she is visibly known to be earning her own living. There are alwa

hands warmly w

endship and respect. I shall feel I am in some way doing what I know my old friend Pierce Armitage

an a few scarcely audible words of gratitude in reply-and when at last he took his leave, she

bed-"Oh, how could he leave you at that farm!-poor l

if I had not been left at Briar Farm, I should never have known Dad!-and he was one of the best of men-and I sh

er voice-and Miss Leigh, wiping away her

night!" she said. "When are you going to have

ent s

a white frock-and I told him about my dove Cupid, and how it used to fly from th

with the joy

upid will

ed Miss Leigh

e god of love,-but only a dove this ti

the diamond pendant

eart, dear child, I pray there is a spiritual dove of holy purity t

soft grey-blue eyes,-a deep flush o

warning, godmothe

er close in her a

he answer

a moment

h colour, walked close up to the harps

mber of him!-how he spoke, how he looked!-what sort of pictures he painted-and what he us