dless of his
breeches, although of fine padusoy, and his coat, though of purple
velvet, he sate down on the bank of the rill at her feet, and waited for
her to say something. The young lady loved mainly to take the lead, but
would liefer have followed suit just now.

"You have promised to tell me," she said, very softly, and with an
unusual timidity, which added to her face and manner almost the only
charm they lacked, "some things which I do not understand, and which I
have no right to ask you of, except for your own offer. Why should you,
without injuring any one, but only having suffered loss of all your
family property, and of all your rights and comforts, and living in
that lonely place which used to be full of company--why should you be
in danger now, when you have nothing more to be robbed of? I beg your
pardon--I mean when all your enemies must have done their worst."

"You are too young yet to understand the world," he answered, with a
well-drawn sigh; "and I hope most truly that you may never do so. In
your gentle presence I cannot speak with bitterness, even if I could
feel it. I will not speak harshly of any one, however I may have been
treated. But you will understand that my life alone remains betwixt the
plunderers and their prey, and that my errand here prevents them from
legally swallowing up the spoil."

Miss Dolly's idea of the law, in common with that of most young ladies,
suggested a horrible monster ravening to devour the fallen. And the fall
of the Carnes had long been a subject of romantic interest to her.

"Oh, I see!" she exclaimed, with a look of deep wisdom. "I can quite
understand a thing like that, from what I have heard about witnesses. I
hope you will be very careful. My sister owes so much to you, and so do
I."

"You must never speak of that again, unless you wish to grieve me. I
know that I have said too much about myself; but you alone care to know
anything about me; and that beguiles one out--out of one's wits. If I
speak bad English, you will forgive me. I have passed so many years
on the Continent, and am picking up the language of my childhood
very slowly. You will pardon me, when I am misled by--by my own
signification."

"Well done!" cried the innocent Dolly. "Now that is the very first piece
of bad English you have used, to the best of my belief, and I am rather
quick in that. But you have not yet explained to me my own danger,
though you asked me to come here for that pu