eyns',--Lady Mary Boleyn is her friend, and she has also
had the great advantage of my society for nearly two years."

"Then of course she is not Aspatria, and my heart is a liar, and my
memory is a traitor, and my eyes do not see correctly. I will call
about nine. I am at the Star and Garter. If she should name me at
all--"

"Do you imagine she noticed you? and in such a public place as
Howell's?"

"I really do imagine she noticed me. Ask her."

"I see you are in love again. After all that experience has done for
you! It is a Nemesis, Ulfar. I have often noticed that, however
faithless a man may be, there comes at last one woman who avenges all
the rest. Enter Nemesis at nine to-night!"

"Sarah, you are an angel."

"Thank you, Ulfar. I thought you classed me with the other side."

"As for Aspatria--"

"Life is too short to discuss Aspatria. I remember one day at Redware
being sharply requested to keep silence on that subject. The wheel of
retribution has made a perfect circle as regards Aspatria! I shall
certainly tell Ria that you have made her the heroine of your
disagreeable matrimonial romance."

"No, no, Sarah! Do not say a word to her. I must wait until nine, I
suppose? And I am so anxious and so fearful, Sarah."

"You must wait until nine. And as for the rest, I know very well that
in the present age a lover's cares and fears have

Dwindled to the smallest span.

Do go to your hotel, and get clothed and in your right mind. You are
most unbecomingly dressed. Good-by, old friend, good-by!" And she left
him with an elaborate courtesy.

Ulfar was now in a vortex. Things went around and around in his
consciousness; and whenever he endeavoured to examine events with his
reason, then feeling advanced some unsupported conviction, and threw
him back into the same senseless whirl of emotion.

He had failed to catch the point which would have given him the clew
to the whole mystery,--the identity of Brune with the splendidly
accoutred officer Sarah avowed to be her intended husband. Without
taking special note of him, Ulfar had seen certain signs of
birth, breeding, and assured position. In his mind there was a
great gulf between the haughty-looking soldier and the simple,
handsome, but rather boorish-looking young Squire of Ambar-Side.
The two individualities were as far apart in social claims as
the north and south poles are apart physically.

And if this beautiful woman were indeed Aspatria, how co