rmured an expression of conventional delight. She wore a dress of
some soft white material, and her figure was as wonderful as ever. He
recovered himself almost at once and studied her admiringly.

"Paris?" he murmured.

"Paquin!" she answered. "I remembered that you liked me in white."

"But where on earth have you come from?" he asked.

"The Farm," she answered. "I'm going to take it for three months--if
you're decent to me!"

"That rascal Richard!" he muttered. "Never told me a word! Pretended to
be surprised when he heard you and Clara were back."

She nodded.

"Clara is going to marry that Frenchman next month," she said, "and I
shall be looking for another companion. Do you know of one?"

"I haven't another niece," he answered.

"Even if you had," she said, "I have come to the conclusion that I want
something different. Will you listen to me patiently for a moment?"

"Yes."

"Will you marry me, please?" she said. "No, don't interrupt. I want there
to be no misunderstandings this time. I don't care whether you are an
invalid or not. I don't care whether you are going back into politics or
not. I don't care whether we live here or in any other corner of the
world. You can call yourself anything, from an anarchist to a Tory--or be
anything. You can have all your workingmen here to dinner in flannel
shirts, if you like, and I'll play bowls with their wives on the lawn.
Nothing matters but this one thing, Lawrence. Will you marry me--and try
to care a little?"

"This is absolutely," Mannering declared, taking her into his arms, "the
most brazen proceeding!"

"It's a good deal better than the bungle we made of it before," she
murmured.

THE END

* * * * * *

E. Phillips Oppenheim's Novels

A PRINCE OF SINNERS

Thoroughly matured, brilliantly constructed, and convincingly
told.--_London Times_.

It is rare that so much knowledge of the world, taken as a whole, is
set between two covers of a novel.--_Chicago Daily News_.

ANNA THE ADVENTURESS

A story of London life that is at once unusual, original, consistent,
and delightful.--_Buffalo Express_.

An entrancing story which has seldom been surpassed as a study of
feminine character and sentiment.--_Outlook_, London.

ENOCH STRONE

In no other novel has Mr. Oppenheim created such life-like characters
or handled his plot with such admirable force and restraint as in this
capital story