My Lord The King;

out on deck for two or three hours , each declaring that it is a shame to go below on such a lovely , balmy night ; besides , the cabin is so close and stifling , Harry vows it would make Marian ill if she persisted in retiring soon . she likes

Marian says being on deck much better than going below . Mr . Maulevevei' is conversing with the captain on nautical matters ; he is always doing what a friend of ours calls sucking people ' s brains in the hope of learning something newand

, accordingly leaves the young people very much to themselves . "And so , Miss Mauleverer" ( Harry is speaking ) " your family was one of those which sided with the Stuarts , in 1715 , mi lost . ' "

" Yes ; we were always Jacobites , yon must know ; and so when the Old Pretender—as they caUed him—claimed his people ' s suit and service for M y Lord the King ( my father ' s favourite phrase ) , my great-grandfather , cousin of Lord Derwentwater , was one of the first to join his standard ; and when Prince Charles took

his profession as a Knight Templar at Hob / rood , in 1745 , he was by his side at the time , and joined the Masonic Cavaliers with Mm . " " Was it then your family was attainted ?" " Yes ; the Earl of Derwentwater was taken

from us ; and my grandfather , finding the name of Radeliffe no passport to Royal favour , on his second marriage took his wife ' s name with her property , and so we became Mauleverers . " "Well , I hope the attainder may be reversed some clay , and I may salute you as Countess of Derwentwater in your own right . "

"Oh , thanks , " Marian replied , with a merry , silvery laugh ; " I ' m afraid we have utile chance of that , as papa says he is nearl y certain some descendants of the eMer branch are still living . They settled 1 ] i the Low Countries , I believe , and some t them

. intermarried with noble families 111 France and Italy . But I really don't «> ow so much as I ought to do about the ^ rl ypeciigre ^ tlioughldaresaylshaUlearn methnig now , as papa is going abroad sab » tlng thk aS wel 1 as for his health ' s si fftd t 3 le ? e was a silence > atid Harry

" Oh dear ; please don t do that again , Marian murmurs , with feigned anxiety and an arched smile , " you quite give me the dismals . May so old a friend ( sixteen hours , isn't it 1 ) venture to ask what that dreadful sigh was all about ?" " Oh , I dont know ; but it ' s of no

consequence . I was only thinking how curious it is that if a man likes anybody very much , ten to one they are separated , and soon forget each other " ( which was a round-about way of putting matters , to say the least , and certainly not very grammatical ) . Marian was silent .

" Have you never met with anyone , Miss Mauleverer , who has at once , as it were , seemed like an old , old friend ?" " Have you 1 " Marian replies interrogatively . " Only once , and then I felt—I , know not what I felt—but it was a certain

fascination which drew me to her , until it seemed as if I loved her more than anyone else in the world—as if I never could love any one more but her . " " Indeed ; it was a lady then 1 " "Yes ; you don't think it coidd be a

man V " I don't know ; one has heard of David and Jonathan , and Damon and Pythias . " " Well , yes—in the old clays men might have felt like that , but not now . " " I am afraidMr . Mennellyou have

, , not a very good opinion of your sex ; but pray what was your lady-love like 1 " " She had dark hair , like you . " " Wellf

" And regular features , and a pale face , rather sad , and large eyes . I must not flatter you , so I will not describe them , but they were very beautiful . " " Thanks for the intended compliment . I am quite interested in your fair friend . " " Would you like to know her name ?"

"No , not to-night ; you shall tell me another time , if you like . It is getting chilly , and dreadfully late , " said Marian , rising to go . " You needn ' t see me down ; I know you are dying to have a cigar , which your politeness has prevented you

enjoying before . Good-night . " And Marian tripped off before Harry could say another word . " What a darling she is . Confound it , I wish I had'nt come . I don't believe she