how the time
slipped by as he sat beside her.

Have you ever written to your father since you came here?' asked he one day
as they talked together.

'Yes, sir; and yesterday I got a letter from him. Such a nice letter,
sir--no complainings, no reproaches for my running away; but all sorts of
good wishes for my happiness. He owns he was sorry to have ever thought
of the stage for me; but he says this lawsuit he is engaged in about his
grandfather's will may last for years, and that he knew I was so certain
of a great success, and that a great success means more than mere money,
he fancied that in my triumph he would reap the recompense for his own
disasters. He is now, however, far happier that I have found a home, a real
home, and says, "Tell my lord I am heartily ashamed of all my rudeness with
regard to him, and would willingly make a pilgrimage to the end of Europe
to ask his pardon"; and say besides that "when I shall be restored to
the fortune and rank of my ancestors"--you know,' added she, 'he is a
prince--"my first act will be to throw myself at his feet, and beg to be
forgiven by him."'

'What is the property? is it land?' asked he, with the half-suspectfulness
of one not fully assured of what he was listening to.

'Yes, sir; the estate is in Delos. I have seen the plan of the grounds and
gardens of the palace, which are princely. Here, on this seal,' said she,
showing the envelope of her letter, 'you can see the arms; papa never omits
to use it, though on his card he is written only "of the princes"--a form
observed with us.'

'And what chance has he of getting it all back again?'

'That is more than I can tell you; he himself is sometimes very confident,
and talks as if there could not be a doubt of it.'

'Used your poor mother to believe it?' asked he, half-tremulously.

'I can scarcely say, sir; I can barely remember her; but I have heard papa
blame her for not interesting her high connections in England in his suit;
he often thought that a word to the ambassador at Athens would have almost
decided the case.'

'High connections, indeed!' burst he forth. 'By my conscience, they're
pretty much out at elbows, like himself; and if we were trying to recover
our own right to-morrow, the look-out would be bleak enough!'

'Papa is not easily cast down, sir; he has a very sanguine spirit.'

'Maybe you think it's what is wanting in my case, eh, Nina? Say it out,
girl; tell me, I'd be the better for a litt