yourself, of your life, of all, or a greater part of your time, you'll be just awfully happy. People who do that sort of thing invariably are. Aunt Penelope says so, and she ought to know."

"Your Aunt Penelope must be a very wise woman. I should like to meet her; and that is a most brilliant idea. I wonder if it could be carried into effect?"

"Surely there is nothing to prevent it."

"Then, little Heather Grayson, will you help me to carry it into effect?"

"I wish I could; but how can I? I am such a very young girl."

I began to find him less interesting than I had done a minute ago. I pushed a big sofa-pillow between my back and the edge of the sofa; I pined for eleven o'clock on the following day.

"I must make my meaning plain," he said. "I want someone just like you, young, and pure, and innocent, and, I believe, holy—to help me, to live with me, to be my—oh! I want someone whom I could train and—whom I could love."

"A sort of companion," I said, in some amazement; "or, perhaps, you mean an adopted daughter; but then, you see, I am father's daughter, although he has married Lady Helen."

"Ah, poor child!" he said. "I can quite see that you are your father's daughter, although he has married Lady Helen. But tell me—do you really think me old enough to be your father?"

"But, of course—yes, Lord Hawtrey, you are."

"Perhaps I am; on the other hand, perhaps I am not. But, after all, little Miss Heather, the question of age scarcely matters. Deep in my heart there lives eternal youth, and now and then—oh, by no means always—but now and then, and especially when I am with you, it comes to the surface. Eternal youth is a beautiful thing, and when I see you, little Miss Grayson, and watch your innocent country ways, it visits me; it is like a cool, refreshing fountain, bubbling up in my heart."

"But aren't we perhaps talking fairy talk?" I said, pulling one of the roses out of its position in front of my dress and letting it fall to the floor.

He got very red, but nevertheless he kept himself well in control.

"I want you to think it over," he said. "I know you will be unprepared for what I mean to say. I want you as my wife. I can give you 

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