lated,

"Oh, don't say that, Miss Medland. I never thought--I--I mean, surely
you don't mean--?" And then he came to a dead stop for a moment; only to
start abruptly again the next, with--"It would spoil my happiness, if I
thought--you don't really mean it, do you? I don't know how I should ask
you to forgive me, if you do."

Daisy's plot (which it is not sought to justify) had been crowned with
success. A mischievous smile replaced her innocent expression.

"What do you mean, Mr. Derosne? Forgive you? I was speaking of my own
feelings."

"Yes, so--so I understood, and I wanted to say that I hoped you wouldn't
think I had been inconsid----"

"What does it matter to me, how long or how short your wooing is? They
say lovers are self-centred, but really I think you're the worst I ever
met. I must confess I wasn't thinking of you, Mr. Derosne."

"What?" exclaimed Dick.

"Is it possible you haven't heard of my engagement?" she asked in the
sweetest tone.

"Your----"

"Yes--to Mr. Norburn," and she watched the effect with obvious pleasure.

Dick pulled himself together. She had made a fool of him; that was
pretty clear now it was too late to help it.

"I hadn't heard. I congratulate you," he said, stiffly and awkwardly.

"Thanks. Of course that was what I meant when I said my feelings could
never change. How odd you must have thought it of me, if you didn't
know!"

"Well, I--I didn't quite understand."

"You seemed puzzled and I couldn't understand why. We were both thinking
of ourselves too much, I suppose!"

"May I ask if you have been engaged long?"

"Oh, not actually engaged very long, but, like yours, it's been an old
acquaintance, and--if you won't betray me--perhaps a little more for
ever so long."

Dick was not quite sure whether he believed the lady or not. He ought to
have wished to believe her; as a fact, he was extremely reluctant to do
so, but Daisy's look was so candid and at the same time so naturally
shy, in making her little avowal, that he was almost convinced that the
semi-tragedy of their parting scene a few weeks before had been all
acting on her side. Alicia could have undeceived him, but, for reasons
tolerably obvious, Dick did not rehearse this interview to Alicia or to
any one else.

"Ah! here comes Mr. Norburn!" cried Daisy, rosy with delight. "You must
congratulate one another."

This very hollow ceremony was duly performed, and Dick left the lovers
together. In fact he may