does me too much honor," said Elizabeth, courtesying.

"I make up for the fact that your reputation does your Ladyship too little, then, mademoiselle," he answered.

"Enough of this," said the admiral, impatiently. "The girl is well enough; but you didn't come here to look at her, did you?"

"On my honor as a gentleman, monsieur, for no other purpose."

"Well, give some account of yourself otherwise, and perhaps if it be satisfactory, as you have accomplished that purpose, I may send you on your way rejoicing," said the admiral, amused at the extravagance of the young man.

"No man could leave the presence of Lady Elizabeth Howard rejoicing, sir."

"Damnation, sir!" cried the governor, testily, "are you going to stand here and bandy compliments about all day like a French dancing-master?"

"I have nothing further to urge for my words, my Lord, when my excuse stands in your very presence."

The governor looked at the two young people in great perplexity.

"I fear, my dear Marquis de Richemont," said he ironically, "unless you can give some more coherent account of yourself, I shall be under the painful necessity of having you locked up, in which case the only divinity you will be allowed to gaze upon will be the lovely face and figure of yonder sergeant."

"Yes, yer Ludship, I--" remarked the sergeant, grimacing.

"Silence, sirrah!" thundered the admiral.

"My Lord," answered O'Neill, smiling, "it is very simple. I am an officer in the navy of the King of France, making a tour of England for pleasure. I came here to this town this evening. I hear of the great admiral, Lord Westbrooke, in his great castle, and the beauty of his ward, Lady Elizabeth Howard. I am a lover of the beautiful. I stand on the causeway gazing at the castle. Your soldiers arrest me and bring me here. I rejoice to find Lady Elizabeth more beautiful than I have dreamed. A year and a half have only intensified her charms."

"A year and a half! Dreams, sir! What mean you by that, pray? What have the years to do with the matter? Did you see her a year and a half since?" cried the admiral, suspiciously again.

O'Neill started; it 

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