ss Aline can say 'No' for herself. But I
think you had better not trouble her and content yourself with the
indication I give you."

"And what is that?"

"That Miss Aline prefers to remain as she is!"

The baronet, however, insisted on a personal answer. Miss Aline came in
and stood shyly while Sir Bunny pointed out the advantages of his
proposal--the estates joined, the parish under control, and the family
name changed by poll deed to Minto-Bunny-Bunny.

"I am obliged for your thinking of me," said Miss Aline sweetly, "but
for the present I have no intention of marrying."

"I warn you," said Sir Bunny Bunny, "that by continuing to act as you
are doing, you are exposing yourself to misconstruction--"

Julian Wemyss, who had been looking out of the window, turned suddenly
and caught his eye.

Old Sir Bunny was no coward, but he shrank from the look of Julian
Wemyss as if it had been a knife at his breast.

"I mean," he said, "that Miss Aline, gracious and youthful as she is,
ought to remember that youth does not last for ever!"

He thought he had turned the matter off rather neatly, and was surprised
when Julian merely shrugged his shoulders and turned again to the
window. Presently Sir Bunny Bunny made his bow and departed, cursing the
interference of Julian Wemyss in what had long been the desire of his
heart, the union of the Bunny Bunny properties with those of
Balmacminto. He had thought about it so long that it had become to his
mind an accomplished fact. Indeed, he had only been waiting for his
loutish son George to finish his wild-oat sowing before communicating
the news of her good fortune to Miss Aline.

He was still more astonished on the way home from Ladykirk. An officer,
riding, checked at his approach, and, with a sketched salute, reined his
steed long enough to ask, "Do you know where Mr. Julian Wemyss is to be
found? He is to go home immediately. His Royal Highness the Duke is at
Abbey Burnfoot!"

"What duke?" the baronet fairly gasped.

"The Duke of Lyonesse, of course, on his way from Ireland," said the
officer, "he was junior _attache_ to Mr. Wemyss at Vienna!"

"Good God!" said the baronet, "I wonder if Wemyss will bring him to
Bunny House."

And he offered to ride with the officer to where Julian might be found.
The adjutant took one look at the plethoric proportions of the baronet's
mount, and answered that he was in a hurry. A simple indication would be
enough for him. Whereupon,