ers, I felt, to my confusion, a
distinct sense of disappointment. Even while I was quarrelling with him,
I said to myself, 'Poor darling, you cannot have him even if you should
want him, so don't look at him much!'--But I did look at him; and what
is worse, he looked at me; and what is worse yet, he curled himself so
tightly round my heart that if he takes himself away, I shall be cold
the rest of my life!"

"Then you are really sure of your love this time, and you have never
advised him to wed somebody more worthy than yourself?" I asked.

"Not I!" she replied. "I wouldn't put such an idea into his head for
worlds! He might adopt it!"

Chapter XXV. A treaty between nations.

'Pale and wan was she when Glenlogie gaed ben,
But red rosy grew she whene'er he sat doun.

Glenlogie.

Just here the front door banged, and a manly step sounded on the stair.
Francesca sat up straight in a big chair, and dried her eyes hastily
with her poor little wet ball of a handkerchief; for she knows that
Willie is a privileged visitor in my studio. The door opened (it was
ajar) and Ronald Macdonald strode into the room. I hope I may never have
the same sense of nothingness again! To be young, pleasing, gifted,
and to be regarded no more than a fly upon the wall, is death to one's
self-respect.

He dropped on one knee beside Francesca, and took her two hands in his
without removing his gaze from her speaking face. She burned, but did
not flinch under the ordeal. The colour leaped into her cheeks. Love
swam in her tears, but was not drowned there; it was too strong.

"Did you mean it?" he asked.

She looked at him, trembling, as she said, "I meant every word, and far,
far more. I meant all that a girl can say to a man when she loves him,
and wants to be everything she is capable of being to him, to his work,
to his people, and to his--country."

Even this brief colloquy had been embarrassing, but I knew that worse
was still to come and could not be delayed much longer, so I left the
room hastily and with no attempt at apology--not that they minded my
presence in the least, or observed my exit, though I was obliged to leap
over Mr. Macdonald's feet in passing.

I found Mr. Beresford sitting on the stairs, in the lower hall.

"Willie, you angel, you idol, where did you find him?" I exclaimed.

"When I went into the post-office, an hour ago," he replied, "I met
Francesca. She asked me for Macdonald's Edinburgh add