never to be repeated. I could
not forgive that."

"I would do much to escape your anger," said Rorie softly.

"The whole situation just now was too ridiculous," pursued Vixen, with
a spurious hilarity. "A young woman wandering blindfold in a wood all
alone--it must have seemed very absurd."

"It seemed very far from absurd--to me," said Rorie.

They were going slowly up the grassy hill, the short scanty herbage
looking gray in the dimness. Glow-worms were beginning to shine here
and there at the foot of the furze-bushes. A pale moon was rising above
the broad expanse of wood and valley, which sank with gentle
undulations to the distant plains, where the young corn was growing and
the cattle were grazing in a sober agricultural district. Here all was
wild and beautiful--rich, yet barren.

"I'm afraid when we met last--at Lady Southminster's ball--that I
forgot to congratulate you upon your engagement to your cousin," said
Violet by-and-by, when they had walked a little way in perfect silence.

She was trying to carry out an old determination. She had always meant
to go up to him frankly, with outstretched hand, and wish him joy. And
she fancied that at the ball she had said too little. She had not let
him understand that she was really glad. "Believe me, I am very glad
that you should marry someone close at home--that you should widen your
influence among us."

"You are very kind," answered Rorie, with exceeding coldness. "I
suppose all such engagements are subjects for congratulation, from a
conventional point of view. My future wife is both amiable and
accomplished, as you know. I have reason to be very proud that she has
done me so great an honour as to prefer me to many worthier suitors;
but I am bound to tell you--as we once before spoke of this subject, at
the time of your dear father's death, and I then expressed myself
somewhat strongly--I am bound to tell you that my engagement to Mabel
was made to please my poor mother. It was when we were all in Italy
together. My mother was dying. Mabel's goodness and devotion to her had
been beyond all praise; and my heart was drawn to her by affection, by
gratitude; and I knew that it would make poor mother happy to see us
irrevocably bound to each other--and so--the thing came about somehow,
almost unawares, and I have every reason to be proud and happy that
fate should have favoured me so far above my deserts."

"I am very glad that you are happy," said Violet g