have saved my life; and though you may think that a valueless
trifle, not worth speaking of, I assure you I view it in a very
different light," she said, with a half smile.

"Lady, your life is invaluable; but as to our saving it, why, you would
not have us throw you alive into the plague-pit, would you?"

"It would have been rather barbarous, I confess, but there are few who
would risk infection for the sake of a mere stranger. Instead of doing
as you did, you might have sent me to the pest-house, you know."

"Oh, as to that, all your gratitude is due to Sir Norman. He managed the
whole affair, and what is more, fell--but I will leave that for himself
to disclose. Meantime, may I ask the name of the lady I have been so
fortunate as to serve!"

"Undoubtedly, sir--my name is Leoline."

"Leoline is only half a name."

"Then I am so unfortunate an only to possess half a name, for I never
had any other."

Ormiston opened his eyes very wide indeed.

"No other! you must have had a father some time in your life; most
people have," said the young gentleman, reflectively.

She shook her head a little sadly.

"I never had, that I know of, either father or mother, or any one but
Prudence. And by the way," she said, half starting up, "the first thing
to be done is, to see about this same Prudence. She must be somewhere in
the house."

"Prudence is nowhere in the house," said Ormiston, quietly; "and will
not be, she says, far a month to come. She is afraid of the plague."

"Is she?" said Leoline, fixing her eyes on him with a powerful glance.
"How do you know that?"

"I heard her say so not half an hour ago, to a lady a few doors distant.
Perhaps you know her--La Masque."

"That singular being! I don't know her; but I have seen her often. Why
was Prudence talking of me to her, I wonder?"

"That I do not know; but talking of you the was, and she said she
was coming back here no more. Perhaps you will be afraid to stay here
alone?"

"Oh no, I am used to being alone," she said, with a little sigh, "but
where"--hesitating and blushing vividly, "where is--I mean, I should
like to thank sir Norman Kingsley."

Ormiston saw the blush and the eyes that dropped, and it puzzled him
again beyond measure.

"Do you know Sir Norman Kingsley?" he suspiciously asked.

"By sight I know many of the nobles of the court," she answered
evasively, and without looking up: "they pass here often, and Prudence
knows them all; and so I