marry me, I have lots for both; and, you know, the moment an Englishman
with a title gets engaged to an American millionairess everybody says
that he is simply dollar-hunting."

"That, unfortunately, is usually too well justified by the facts," she
replied seriously. "But only the most idiotic and ignorant of gossips
could possibly say that of you. Every one who is any one knows that the
Kyneston coronet does not want re-gilding."

And then she went on, glancing sideways at him again:

"Still, as you know perfectly well, in matters of this kind, these very
delicate diplomatic considerations, I do not care whether it is a
question of fifty shillings a week or fifty thousand a year. You once
paid me the very great compliment of offering me rank, position, and
almost everything that a girl, from the merely material point of view
could ask for. I refused, because I felt certain that you and I did not
love each other--however much we may have liked and respected each
other--as a man and woman ought to do, unless they become guilty of a
great sin against each other. To put it in a very hackneyed way, we were
not each other's affinities. I had already found mine--and I think, and
hope, that you have found yours--and I wish you all the good fortune
that you may, and, perhaps, can win."

"If is very, very good of you, Miss Marmion; but do you think you
could--well, help me a little? I know I don't deserve it."

"No, sir, you do not," she laughed softly, because the other two were
coming back on to the lawn. "I wonder that you have--I have half a mind
to say the impudence--to ask such a thing. You have confessed your
fickleness in an almost shameless way; and now you ask me to help you
with the other girl! No, my lord: if I know anything of Brenda van
Huysman's nature, there is no one who can help you except yourself. Of
course she might----"

"Do you really think she might--I mean in that way?"

"Who am I that I should know the secrets of another woman's soul?" she
replied, with unhesitating prevarication. "There she is. Go and ask her,
and take my best wishes with you. Now I am going to talk to _my_
affinity for a few minutes."

"So it was Merrill, after all!" he said to himself, as they joined the
others. "Well, I'm glad. He's a splendid fellow; and she--of course,
she's worth the love of the best man on earth--and I'm afraid that's
not--anyhow, I'll have Miss Brenda's opinion on the subject before I go
home to-night