your boots; but I love you with all the
strength of my life. Tell me, Olive Castlemaine, that I may hope."

"No," she said quietly, "I cannot tell you that--that is--yet."

She knew she yielded the whole position in that qualification, although
she would not have admitted it--so strange a thing is a woman's heart.
Leicester felt sure of it too, and, unbeliever as he was, he could have
said "Thank God."

"I must have time to think," she went on. "I must speak to my father."

He took a step forward as if to grasp her hand, but she drew back.

"No," she said. "I did not expect--that--you would come to me in this
way, and--it is not a decision which can be made lightly."

"No, great God, no," said Leicester. His voice was hoarse, and almost
trembling. He never could have believed that he could have been so much
moved. "It is everything to me--everything."

In his heart of hearts he believed that she would accept him, and yet
the fear that she should not became a ghastly nightmare.

"Excuse me," she went on, "but I think I would like to be alone now. I
want----"

"Yes," interrupted Leicester, taking his hat and gloves. "I understand.
Good-afternoon."

She felt almost disappointed. Was he going away like this? Did he take
it for granted that she would write him her decision? But she said
nothing. A servant came in answer to her ring, and Leicester walked into
the hall. To the servant his manners seemed that of a visitor who had
been coldly received.

"Shall I call a carriage, sir?"

"No, I shall walk to the station."

The man opened the door, and he left the house without another word. He
walked to the station almost like a man in a dream; he could hardly
realise that what had taken place was an actual fact. He had proposed
to Olive Castlemaine, and he had not been refused. He found he had
twenty minutes to wait for a train back to London, but that did not
trouble him. Nothing mattered now. A new element had come into his life;
everything had changed. He was no longer a ship upon life's sea, he was
a man who loved, and was loved. True, Olive had not said so much as
this, but he had read enough of her character to know that had there not
been strong hope for him, she would have refused him there and then.

He walked up and down the platform without seeing or hearing anything.
One thought filled his mind, one hope filled his heart. Presently, when
his train arrived, he had a vague idea that he was on the way to