father in conversation so that he could not see what was going on,
for I felt sure that however much he might wish to be civil to the
Dawsons, he could not have endured Richard Dawson's attentions to me,
since he was very proud.

I have always been one to act on impulse, and of a sudden it occurred to
me that it might be possible to make Richard Dawson let poor Nora alone.
I suppose it must have been because his mother praised him so much that
I should have thought such a thing possible, for up to this I would have
believed nothing good of him.

And presently we were alone to all intents, for Mrs. Dawson dropped off
to sleep, and the party at the end of the room was playing some noisy
round game in which Lady Ardaragh had joined, and Sir Arthur had taken
her place beside Gran and they were talking together.

"Mr. Dawson," I said suddenly, "there is something I should like to say
to you."

"What is it?"

"Something I should like to ask you."

"Will you come out here on the balcony and ask me what it is? I promise
you I shall do it if it be within my power."

The promise determined me. All the windows were wide open, so that to go
on the balcony was not to be solitary. As I went out with him I noticed
that my grandmother looked after me with an amazed air. Well, I might be
mad to believe good of Richard Dawson on his mother's report, but it was
worth a trial. I went out on the balcony with him; and noticed that he
drew the curtains to after us. It was a thing a gentleman would not have
done and I detested him for it. But there was my poor Nora to be thought
of, so I endured it.

CHAPTER XXIV

THE BLOW FALLS

"Now, what is it?" he asked. "Half of my fortune if you will, fair lady,
so that you forgive that blunder of mine and look kindly on me."

"It is about a girl in whom I am interested--Nora Brady." I felt him
start at my side. "I saw you together in our woods the other day. She is
a good girl. Mr. Dawson, will you let her be and not make her unhappy?"

"Why," he said, "I have never meant to make her unhappy. I'm sorry for
what I did. It was only idle love-making. But she's fond of me, poor
child. And she'd be just as fond of me if I wore a ragged coat and
earned a shilling a day. I've always pleased myself, and I don't like
giving up Nora. By the way, she has rather given up me. She is keeping
out of my way. Her keeping out of my way has been more likely to inflame
me than the other thing. But, i