“Zounds! She has got right back into that Coolidge nest again, poor thing! I wonder if she knows it, or has seen them yet?” was Adrian’s inward comment; then he said, aloud: “If you remain here a few days I shall probably see you again.” Then, as he clasped her hand, he continued, with a smile: “Now, good-night; and, Miss Douglas, do not go wandering off by yourself again in the night to places you know nothing of.” Again she thrilled at his touch, and the fire leaped into her cheeks at his words. “I will not,” she promised, with a little answering smile, though he saw that tears were dropping from her eyes, as she added: “But, Mr. Desmond, I have not been able to find words adequate to express my feelings for what you have done for me to-night; but surely you will not deem me ungrateful.” “No, no, dar——” He nearly said it in spite of himself, but quickly checking the word, he exclaimed: “Great Heaven! how it unmans me even now to think of it; but I pray you go to rest, and try to forget it if you can.” He led her up the steps to a side door, where she could enter unseen, let her in, then wandered away by himself again into the park, his soul stirred to its very depths by the events of the last half hour. CHAPTER XXIII TAKEN BY STORM Adrian had been obliged to exert the sternest self-control in order to keep back the wild words which were burning upon his lips for utterance after saving Brownie. He loved her, he knew he loved her, and he longed to pour out the fullness of his heart to her. But how could he presume to do so, when she was comparatively a stranger to him? Only twice before had he met her, and he reasoned that it could not be possible that she had any thought of love for him, although he had worshiped her from afar for the last six months. He felt that he must tell her ere long. He had almost betrayed it to-night, and the hot blood surged into his face as he thought of it, and wondered how she regarded him. Would she not feel that he was presuming upon the service which he had just rendered her if he should confess it? And yet, in his heart, he exulted over the event, even while he trembled and grew faint as he realized how near he had come to losing her forever. The danger and the escape from it had brought them nearer to each other than ever before. She had trusted him, leaned upon him, and even allowed his arm to clasp her unshrinkingly when she could not stand alone. And now she was under the same roof with him, and would remain several days, she said. It seemed too much happiness, after all his discouragements and disappointments in seeking her. Of course, he would not return to London now; of what use would it be, when the object of his search there was found? No, he would stay here and win her if he could; and when she was his wife, how proud he would be to introduce her to Isabel Coolidge and her mother as the future Lady of Dunforth!