"It was not Dr. Armstrong," faltered Nora. "I understand all that, my dearest. It was indefinitely, then?"

"Yes."

"And the promises, however worded, consist in this: You are not to betray your parentage, or any of the confidences of Dr. Nuel Armstrong; or to listen to- What was it? We were always puzzled by that one promise." "Never," said Nora, just as a dying man might repeat his physician's words of doom, "to listen to a word of marriage from-you."

"From me?" questioned Mark, gently drawing her to him that she might not see his face. "That was not what you said, Sweet Heart. Tell me exactly."

"Never," repeated Nora, in the same dreary, hopeless tones, "to listen to a proposal of marriage from-Lord Keston."

"My love," said Mark, with a laugh which startled her, "how it hurts you to say that name! Do not utter it again-yet; and presently it will grow so dear to you that you will wonder how your lips could ever have faltered over it."

"Oh, Mark!" she cried, lifting her clasped hands, "you will never tempt me to break my

VOL. III.

L

vow? I should know no happiness if I broke it, because I made it to my———Oh, Mark, you cannot understand!"

"I understand very clearly and perfectly," he said, in his most gentle and caressing way; "and you shall not break your vow, even though I know the man to whom you made it. No; you shall utter Lord Keston's name often and often, in love and tenderness, and yet you shall never break your vow. I can give my beloved a test of my love too. Did you think the power was only Dr. Armstrong's? And yet you knew that you yourself were mine, my own!" "But the power is not what you think,” faltered Nora. "It is far, far greater."

"Is it?" questioned Mark, his tone full of concentrated passion, as he felt how this power had been exercised over her; "then it will need a little extra strength to throw it down, that's all. Any man who is wronged can right himself in time, Nora, and I am not afraid of any power that scoundrel may possess. Hush, my dearest! I know what you would plead. I understood all that before we met to-day; but we will not speak of it. What your father tells me of Dr. Armstrong I will believe, but never one word of what Dr. Armstrong tells me of

your father. Armstrong may do his worst now. I will let him lay bare his own villainy, and you and I don't shrink from me, Sweet Heart. Even in my passion I will not forget to what words I have promised that you shall not listen. But not even your entreaty can make me forget his villainy, or my own determination to be rid of him. It will keep me here for a time, that is the worst. But, while I am separated from you, I shall feel that you are gaining health and strength by the sea; and you will think of me sometimes, working for you, my own love— and thus doubly and trebly working for myself."

"But you ought to rest," said Nora, very wistfully, as she glanced up into his lined and troubled face.

"I look very old, do I, Sweet?" he asked, with his rare, pleasant laugh. "This has been a terrible time to me-I trust you may never know how terrible-but do not think of that. Think of happy, hopeful things. Think only of growing strong and well yourself, and that will be quite enough to make me the most vigorous fellow in Surrey. Oh, my beloved, when we return together, not Surrey alone, but all the counties in England could not contain a happier fellow. And yet-and yet, my dar

ling," he added, with a gleam of the old quizzical laughter in his eyes, "you shall not receive any proposal of marriage from Lord Keston."

CHAPTER XII.

Then with eyes which seemed to darken his dark cheek, Let him go free, he cried;

He hath his curse.

MOORE.

HE low arched avenue among the

THE

yew

trees, was not the usual and frequented approach to Heaton Cottage; for it was cut in an exaggerated curve from the park to the flower-garden at the side of the house; and-as if to make it still more private than its own gloom and semi-concealment naturally, or rather artificially, made it—its little iron gateway was screened entirely by laurels, skilfully planted beyond. Against this low gate, on the day before the arranged departure for Brighton, Nora stood deep in thought; while scarcely a breath of the wintry air touched her, and no sound disturbed the silence there.

Quietly and unperceived, she had left the