guide through a door in the
wall, which led to a square piece of ground, bare and ugly,--a cabbage-
patch in name and in deed. There against the unromantic background the
two girls stood looking at each other, face to face with the great
question of their lives.

"Ruth," said Margot gently, "let us be honest with each other. It is
the only way. This man--Victor Druce--has come into both our lives; let
us find out where we stand! Shall I tell you my story first? I met him
last summer, when we were thrown constantly together for six weeks, and
he attracted me. I came nearer loving him than any man whom I had met.
Why, I don't know. I saw he admired me; but others had done that, and
when I was alone and could think about him quietly there were many
things about him I did not like. Still, he fascinated me. I thought of
him a great deal during the winter. I looked forward to seeing him
again. He was not of my world, and it seemed impossible that anything
serious could come of it; but I dreamt dreams... Then I came here, and
found, to my amazement, that he was staying at the Court. He met me one
morning going out for my ride, and since then it has often happened.
From the first his manner was different; more assured. He told me of
Mr Farrell's proposition, and insisted that the chances were in his
favour. He wished me to look upon him as the future owner of the Court;
a man who would be in my own position. He has been making love to me
all these weeks, Ruth, but he has not definitely asked me to marry him.
That's my story! Will you tell me yours in exchange?"

Ruth looked drearily round the bare, ugly patch. A moment before she
had been living mentally and physically in a land of roses; now, in an
instant, the scene had changed and the beauty had disappeared.

"I think," she said slowly, "that he has been making love to me too...
He has insisted from the first that I am Uncle Bernard's favourite, the
others think so too, and he has made me believe--only this morning he
made me believe--that he was afraid to speak plainly because of the
difference in our position. He said I should be a great lady, and he
would be working for his bread far away, and thinking of me." Ruth's
voice broke pitifully, but the red flamed in Margot's cheek, and she
reared her proud head with a disdainful gesture.

"So! It is as I thought; he has been playing a waiting game, making
love to us both, but keeping himself free until