e lower orders, by the name of Rose Cameron?"

"Yes, I have heard of such a girl," answered the bride, in a low tone,
averting her face.

"I thought your ladyship must have heard of her. And now--I beg a million
of pardons, my lady--but did your ladyship ever happen to hear of a
certain person's name mentioned alongside of hers?"

"I decline to answer a question so improper. What can such a question
have to do with your present business?" inquired the bride, with more
of gentle dignity than we have ever known her to assume.

"It has a great deal to do with it, your ladyship. It has everything to
do with it, as I shall soon prove to your grace. Take no offence, dear
lady. I won't use any name to trouble you. And I won't say anything but
what I can prove. Will you let me go on on them terms, your ladyship?"
humbly inquired the messenger.

"Yes, yes, if you only WILL be quick. I _wish_ you to go
on. I believe you to mean well, though I do not exactly know what you
really _do_ mean," said Salome, nervously.

"Well, then, my lady, if you ever heard of this handsome Highland peasant
girl, called Rose Cameron, you must have heard that she lived long of her
old father, a shepherd, dwelling at the foot of Ben Lone, near by
where--a--a certain person had his shooting-lodge. My dear lady, it is
the same wicked old story as we hear over and over again, and a many
times too often. Well, the young man--a certain person, I mean--while at
his shooting-box, foot of Ben Lone, happened to see this handsome lass,
and fell in love with her at first sight, as certain persons sometimes do
with young peasant girls as they oughtn't to marry. But mayhap your
ladyship have heard all this before."

Salome had heard it all before; and now, in silence and sadness, she was
wondering what she had to hear more; but certainly not expecting to hear
the degrading revelation her visitor had still to make.

"Well, my lady," resumed the visitor, "a certain person courted handsome
Rose Cameron a long time, trying to coax her to accept of his heart
without his hand, after the manner of certain persons, to poor and pretty
young girls. But the handsome peasant was as proud as a princess, and so
she was. And she would see him hanged first, and so she would, before she
would degrade herself for him, especially as she wasn't overmuch in love
with him herself, but only pleased with his preference, and proud to show
him off. She didn't worship him at all. She