"Mrs. Quilliam."

gut what' 11 she do for all , she woulcln' take naAvtliin' from me , I m afeared . " There was a minute ' s silence , and I stood chained to the spot . " I was thinkin ' , Evan , that you might have took a likin' to her , and I'll bet she wouldn' be agin' it . "

"No , no , aunt , you are quite mistaken . I am afraid that's impossible , but I'll tell her about it to-night , and then " I had heard enough , and crept softly up stairs and sat down in the chill darkness , I think as miserable a woman as could be found in the Isle of Man that Christmas evening . That the money was gone was but * a small part of my trouble . That this man—so much

beneath me , too—should think that I was ready to marry him , aud that he should say it AA'as impossible . This was , indeed , a bitter degradation . All my olcl feelings of pride came back . Could ifc be that this morning I had thought I could have stooped to love him ? I hated him now . I paced the room in indignation with myself as well as -vvith the man AVIIO had roused it .

Then , how dared Mrs . Quilliam so speak of me ? 1 was at war with my small world , bufc had to face it , for I heard Tony ' s voice calling me down to tea .

CHAPTER IX HOAV I got through thafc tea , I never knew . I havo a dim recollection of making a pretence of the wildest spirits , while Mrs . Quilliam ' s pitying eyes made my mirth more uproarious . This mood continued till ten o ' clock , Tony ' s bed time . I had been watching the clock , longing for thc time to como so that I should escape .

" Come , Tony , " I said , when I saAV the lagging hours had reached ten , " Time for bed ; we ought to sleep well to-night after such a jolly day !" To my surprise he put his hand in Mrs . Quilliam ' s , saying "Mammy Quilliam is going to put me to bed to-night and tell me a story of fairies . "

Finding I could not prevail on him to alter his mind , I said I was tired and would go to bed , too , but was stopped . " Would you mind waiting a feAV minutes , " Miss Lace , Evan said , "I have something to say to you . " I would not sit down again , but stood with my hand on the door . He was standing with his back to me , ancl instead of speaking at once , he began to arrange the ornaments on the mantlepiece .

" When you are quite ready , I said m a distant voice , " perhaps you will tell me what you want to say * . " I knew that he was going to break to me the IIBAVS of my loss , and that it was a hard tiling for him to do , but I had no pity—none to spai * e from myself .

Suddenly he turned toAvards me , with another expression . What did it mean ? the look of last night . For a moment it set my heart beating . Hut no , I decided ifc Avas only compassion I SSIAV in his face , compassion for my loss . "Miss Lace , " ho said at last , hesitatingly , "I have something to say that may surprise you . If I g ive you pain will you forgive me and believe . I am not good at saying Avhat 1 feel ; but , Marcia , will you trust your future to me ? Will you marry me ?"

Ho was coming toAvards me with his hands outstretched , but I suppose something in my face stopped him . I did not speak at first , but looked the indignation I felt . HOAV dared he think that I could accept such an offer given out of mere charity ? ( I forgot for the moment he did not knoAV I had heard of the bank breaking . ) " Don't ansAver me HOAA * , " ho went on . " I knoAV you are surprised . Believe me , I would not havo said this to-night if I could have waited . "

" Thank you , " I said , when I Avas able to control my voice , " I quite understand your motives ; they are doubtless vory admirable , but I would rather beg my bread than accept such an offer . " That was all . In another moment I was iu my OAVU room in a wild state of indignation . Surely never before had a Avoinan ' t * feelings been so outraged !

"Mrs. Quilliam."

He had said nothing untrue , I thought bitterly ; he had not pretended to love me . Perhaps , had I Availed a little longer he Avould have gone on to explain that the arrangement Avas entirely for my benefit . He should soe that I Avas no craven spirit , no lovesick g irl . He must haA e felt very sure of my love to dare to make such an offer .

Oh , it was hard to be a woman and be insulted Avithout means of redress ! Why had I treated him with such friendliness ? But he should sec that I cared nothing for him—that I Avould not ; stoop to nianw him !

CHAPTER X . i I did not sec Evan COAVIC all next day * . Mrs . Quilliam had avoided me until the evening when she came in and sat doAvn , heaving a heavy sigh . " it ' s a sinful Avorld Ave live in , Miss Marcia , she began , " and there ' s a dale of throuble in it , but the Lord knows Avhat's best for us , and His Avill be done . "

Miserable as I felt , Nanny ' s pious manner made me laughperhaps there Avas not much merriment , but the incongruity of things struck me as it has often done at inopportune moments before and since .

" It ' s no laughing matter , I can tell you , Miss Marcia , " said Nanny reprovingly , " and not becoming in a young lady to laugh at scri p ture , and you Avouldn' laugh machree if you kneiv ; there ' s a sore throuble come on ye , and I wish I cud spare ye , but 1 can't . " Nanny had come up to me IIOAV , and had her arms round my neck . " I . knoAV Avhat it is , Nanny , " I said ; " Holmes' Bank has broken , and I shall have to turn out into the world and earn my living . "

" Oh , not that , not that , Miss Marcia , veen ! you'll ahvays have a home here if you'll accept of it . " The old Avoman ' s sympathy Avas very SAveet , and I relieved my aching heart in a burst of tears . " HOAV did ye find out ? " she asked , after a time spent in soothing me , as in the days or my youth . " Wass it Evan that let

it out last night ? I was thinkin' he AA'ouId go about the business in a AA'rong Avay , and that yer pride would interfere . Aren't ye yer father ' s daughter , and Avasn't he one of the proudest , for all he could be so JoAval with the likes of me P Not a likel y thing you would be bavin' him all of a suddent like that , more porticuler Avhen yer pride was up afc the loss of yer fortune , and that ' s Avhat I tatikl him . "

"My pride has nothing to say to it , ' I returned , " and ifc Avasn ' t ho Avho told me at all . " " Well , that ' s Avbat he said ; but men are such toots . Not but what our Evan is as good ancl bather till most of them , but it takes

a AA'oman to understan AA * omens feelin ' s , that ' s Avhat I said to him , and don't be doAvn-hearted , for like enough she Avould say no at firs ' . Didn' I do the same Avhen himself asko-. l me to name the day before now ? I wasn' goin' to pretend 1 Avas ready Avaitin ' , for all I was g lad enough—for he was middlin' SIOAV at coniin ' to the pint . "

" You are mistaken , I said , when I could get a word in , " 1 could never marry your nephcAV , so let us say no more about it . " "Well , maybe ye might do AVUSS for all that , Miss Marcia , and you may change yor mind yet , " Nanny answered Avith some spirit .

CHAPTER XI

I saAV very little of EA'an during the next feiv days , bufc I heard from Mrs . Quilliam that he had made up his mind to return to America shortly . The HOAVS Avas a great relief to me , I told myself , for I must have left fche house unless ho had , and fcho' I had been making inquiries , I bad not yet heard of any situation .

One evening I Avas in the kitchen Avith Airs . Quilliam and Tony Avhen EA'an came iu . He had been in Douglas all day , and looked tired , I thought , certainly not as pleasant and happy-looking as I had seen him .

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