self by any means out of her companionship, but
throwing himself sideways on the front seat of the carriage,
looked sometimes out and sometimes in. Now, when the road was
their own, and the old horse could find his way along with
very little guiding, and the moonlight seemed to illuminate
nothing so much as the stillness, Rollo turned his head and
spoke.

'Miss Kennedy, do you like to have people come suing to you
with petitions?'

'I think I might--if I could answer them myself,' she said,
thinking of some that had been preferred that night. 'But when
my yes or no depends on somebody else, it is rather stupid.
One tires of a perpetual referee at one's back.'

'This depends on nobody but you. But I am rushing into the
middle of things,' said Rollo, giving the old steed an
intimation that he need not absolutely fall back upon walking.
'Miss Kennedy, I am coming to you with a great petition to-
night--and I am too impatient to wait for it.'

'Mr. Rollo with a petition!' said Wych Hazel. 'And impatient!
Well--then why _does_ he wait?'

His voice told well enough why he waited, at least in part;
the earnestness of it was so blended with not a little anxiety
and not a little tenderness. He spoke slowly.

'Miss Hazel,' he said, 'you have neither father nor mother nor
brother nor sister. I am almost as much alone in the world.
May I speak to you as one who knows what it means?'

' "It?"--being alone?' she said.

'Just that. Having no one near enough to care or dear enough
to dare, what would be for your happiness. As it is so with
you, and I know it, may I for once step into the gap, without
being too severely punished by you for my venturing?'

'Why I thought you always ventured,--everything!' she said,
stirring up now in her surprise.

'Then shall I make my petition? I never dared so much in my
life as I am daring now.'

'Of course you may make it,' said Wych Hazel. 'As fast as you
like. I shall begin to be impatient too.'

'If you choose to question me for my reasons, I will have the
honour to give them. Or if you ask what right I have to move
in the matter, I will answer that, too.'

'Beforehand?'

'Certainly. If you wish.'

'No matter,' she said, with a slight laugh which was yet a
little disturbed. What was looming up behind this barricade of
preliminaries? 'I thought you based your right just now-- But
never mind. Go on, please.'

He was silent nevertheless a minute, while the old horse came
to