nd the vague wonder that flashed
through her mind whether he could have heard her, she could have
met Rupert, with such warning as she had had, as a perfect
stranger. What she had said was perfectly true, that as a child he
had been her hero; but a young girl's heroes seldom withstand the
ordeal of a four years' absence, and Adele was no exception. Rupert
had gone out of her existence, and she had not thought of him,
beyond an occasional feeling of wonder whether he was alive, for
years; and had it not been for that unlucky speech--which, indeed,
she could not have made had any of her girlish feeling remained,
she could have met him as frankly and cordially as in the days when
they danced together.

In spite, therefore, of her efforts, it was with a heightened
colour that, as demanded by etiquette, Adele rose, and making a
deep reverence in return to the even deeper bow of Rupert, extended
her hand, which, taking the tips of the fingers, Rupert bent over
and kissed. Then, looking up in her face, he said:

"The marquis your father has encouraged me to hope that you will
take pity upon a poor prisoner, and forget and forgive his having
fought against your compatriots."

Adele adroitly took up the line thus offered to her, and was soon deep
in a laughing contest with him as to the merits of their respective
countries, and above all as to his opinion of French beauty. Rupert
answered in the exaggerated compliments characteristic of the time.
After talking with her for some little time he withdrew, saying that he
should have the honour of calling upon the following day with her father.

The next day when they arrived Rupert was greeted with a frank
smile of welcome.

"I am indeed glad to see you again, Monsieur Rupert; but tell me
why was that little farce of pretending that we were strangers,
played yesterday?"

"It was my doing, Adele," her father said. "You know what the king
is. If he were aware that Rupert were an old friend of ours he
would imagine all sorts of things."

"What sort of things, papa?"

"To begin with, that Monsieur Rupert had come to carry you off from
the various noblemen, for one or other of whom his Majesty destines
your hand."

The girl coloured.

"What nonsense!

"However," she went on, "it would anyhow make no difference so far
as the king is concerned, for I am quite determined that I will go
into a convent and let all my lands go to whomsoever his Majesty
may think fit to give th