ved in the aristocracy
of birth; she in the aristocracy of intellect and personal worth. Not
that he was not interested in the well-being of the people--he was; but
their ideas as to the way in which that well-being would be realised
were different. His mind had been shaped and coloured by the class among
which he had been reared, by the atmosphere in which he had lived, and
the atmosphere of this Devonshire squire's home was different from that
which had surrounded Olive Castlemaine's life.

"No," he went on presently, "I never believe in giving up. That is a
characteristic of my race. The Briarfields have always been noted for
their--obstinacy."

"It is not always a pleasant characteristic," she said with a laugh.

"But a useful one," he said. "It has saved me from defeat more than
once. When I first went to a public school I fought a boy bigger than
myself. He whipped me badly; but I mastered him in the end."

There was no boastfulness in the way he spoke; moreover, he evidently
had a reason for leading the conversation into this channel.

"That is one reason why I refuse to take 'No' from you," he continued.
"I never loved any other woman; I never shall; and I shall never give up
hope of winning you."

"Really, I am very sorry for this, Mr. Briarfield."

"Don't say that, Miss Castlemaine. I suppose it is bad policy to expose
my hand in this way; nevertheless what I tell you is true. Although you
first refused me three years ago, I shall never give up hoping that I
shall win you, and never give up trying."

"Had we not better change the subject?" she said rather coldly, although
there was no look of anger or resentment in her eyes.

"I only wanted to tell you this. It is more than a year since I spoke to
you last, and I wished you to know that I have not altered--never shall
alter. I love you, and I shall not give up hope of winning you. I know I
am not of your way of thinking. To be perfectly frank, I interpret the
duties and responsibilities of a landholder differently from you. But I
admire you all the same. No doubt you have given a great deal of
pleasure by keeping an open house; no doubt, too, your home of rest for
a jaded multitude is very fine, but then I have old-fashioned ideas."

Olive laughed gaily. She had almost enjoyed the criticisms which, during
the past five years, had been passed upon her work.

"At any rate the house was never used in such a way before," she said.

"Never," said Herbe