Yes, a most beautiful picture of lovely girlhood Queenie Trevalyn appeared in her traveling dress of dove gray, with the crimson rose nestling in her bosom, and her two bright eyes eager with expectancy as he approached. “Good-morning, my radiant darling!” he cried, availing himself of the opportunity of addressing her as rapturously as he liked, there being no one else on the wide, shady veranda; most every one being busy over the packing of trunks and saying good-by to friends. “How am I to thank you for giving me the opportunity of a _tête-à-tête_ with you, sweet, on this morning of all mornings,” he whispered, seizing the two little white hands; and, as there was no one about to witness the gallant, loverlike action, raising them to his lips and kissing them repeatedly. Before she had time to reply, he went on: “From the hour we parted last night, sweet, I have done nothing but think of you; I could not sleep until far into the wee, sma’ hours, for thinking of you, and wondering over my amazing fortune in winning such a treasure. And when at last sleep did weigh down my eyelids, my dreams were full of you--and, oh, such glorious dreams, my angel! I thought we had just been wedded, and I was bearing you off to some fairy isle----” “Did you wish it were a reality, Raymond?” she questioned, interrupting him with a little tremor in her voice, which was barely audible. “How can you ask that, my adored one?” he asked, reproachfully. “I--I thought if you really cared so much about it, the--the wedding might be arranged to take place this morning, as you pleaded so hard last night that it might.” Girl-like, she dropped her eyes in maidenly confusion as she made this faltering admission. If she had but glanced up at that moment, she would have beheld a very strange expression on the face of the man bending over her. Raymond Challoner was wondering if he had heard aright, or if his ears were playing him false. Was it a trick of mistaken hearing, or did he hear her say that she would marry him ere she left Newport that morning? He had expected a hard battle to fight when he asked the astute, wealthy New York lawyer for his lovely young daughter. It was easy to talk to women of his expectations, etc.; but it was quite another matter to stand before a keen-eyed man of the world, and explain to his satisfaction what he had to support his daughter with. The keen lawyer would want positive proof, in the shape of affirmation from old Mr. Challoner, the wealthy uncle, direct, acknowledging that it was his intention to make his nephew his sole heir. And no one knew better than Raymond Challoner that he was as far away from that old uncle’s millions as was the man in the moon, and he well knew why. Queenie’s voice brought back his wandering thoughts.