ng you again?"

"I--I'm _not_ determined! I hope we _shall_ meet. Perhaps next
winter--at Mrs Willoughby's."

He laughed grimly.

"But if I were not content to wait for `perhaps next winter--at Mrs
Willoughby's.' ... What then?"

Claire looked at him gravely.

"What would you suggest? I have no home in London, and no relations,
and your mother, Captain Fanshawe, would not introduce me to you when
she had the chance!"

He made a gesture of impatience.

"Oh, my mother is the most charming of women--and the most indiscreet.
She acts always on the impulse of the moment. She introduced you to
Mrs Willoughby, or asked Mrs Willoughby to introduce herself, which
comes to the same thing. Surely that proves that she--she--"

He broke off, finding a difficulty in expressing what he wanted to say;
but Claire understood, and emphatically disagreed. To enlist a friend's
sympathy was a very different thing from running the risk of entangling
the affections of an only son! Obviously, however, she could not
advance this argument, so they stood, the man and the girl, looking at
one another, helpless, irresolute, while the clock opposite ticked
remorselessly on. Then, with an abruptness which lent added weight to
his words, Erskine said boldly--

"I want to meet you again! I am not content to wait upon chance."

Claire did not blush; on the contrary, the colour faded from her cheeks.
Most certainly she also was not content, but she did not waver in her
resolution.

"I'm afraid there's nothing else for it. It's one of the hardships of a
working girl's life that she can't entertain or make plans. It seems
more impossible to me, perhaps, from having lived abroad where
conventions are so strict. English girls have had more freedom. I
don't see what I can do. I'm sorry!"--she held out her hand in
farewell. "I hope some day I _shall_ see you again!"

Quite suddenly Captain Fanshawe's mood seemed to change. The set look
left his face; he smiled--a bright confident smile.

"There's not much fear about that! I shall take very good care that we
do!"

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

GOD'S OPPORTUNITY.

After the meeting with Captain Fanshawe in the Park, Claire's
relationship with Mary Rhodes sensibly improved. In the first place,
her own happiness made her softer and more lenient in her judgment, for
she _was_ deeply, intensely happy, with a happiness which all her
reasonings were powerless to destroy.

"My dear,