. In the first place, Mr. Sherwin, I have reasons
for wishing that this interview, whatever results it may lead to, may
be considered strictly confidential. I am sure I can depend on your
favouring me thus far?"

"Certainly--most certainly--the strictest secrecy of course--pray go
on."

He drew his chair a little nearer to me. Through all his blinking and
winking, I could see a latent expression of cunning and curiosity in his
eyes. My card was in his hand: he was nervously rolling and unrolling
it, without a moment's cessation, in his anxiety to hear what I had to
say.

"I must also beg you to suspend your judgment until you have heard me
to the end. You may be disposed to view--to view, I say, unfavourably at
first--in short, Mr. Sherwin, without further preface, the object of my
visit is connected with your daughter, with Miss Margaret Sherwin--"

"My daughter! Bless my soul--God bless my soul, I really can't
imagine--"

He stopped, half-breathless, bending forward towards me, and crumpling
my card between his fingers into the smallest possible dimensions.

"Rather more than a week ago," I continued, "I accidentally met Miss
Sherwin in an omnibus, accompanied by a lady older than herself--"

"My wife; Mrs. Sherwin," he said, impatiently motioning with his
hand, as if "Mrs. Sherwin" were some insignificant obstacle to the
conversation, which he wished to clear out of the way as fast as
possible.

"You will not probably be surprised to hear that I was struck by Miss
Sherwin's extreme beauty. The impression she made on me was something
more, however, than a mere momentary feeling of admiration. To speak
candidly, I felt--You have heard of such a thing as love at first sight,
Mr. Sherwin?"

"In books, Sir." He tapped one of the morocco-bound volumes on the
table, and smiled--a curious smile, partly deferential and partly
sarcastic.

"You would be inclined to laugh, I dare say, if I asked you to believe
that there is such a thing as love at first sight, _out_ of books. But,
without dwelling further on that, it is my duty to confess to you, in
all candour and honesty, that the impression Miss Sherwin produced on me
was such as to make me desire the privilege of becoming acquainted with
her. In plain words, I discovered her place of residence by following
her to this house."

"Upon my soul this is the most extraordinary proceeding----!"

"Pray hear me out, Mr. Sherwin: you will not condemn my conduct, I
thi