"Miss Bedford--Ella," he whispered, "I love you tenderly and devotedly! This is no light declaration: till I saw you, woman never occupied my thoughts. You see by my brusque ways, my bluntness, that I have been no dallier in drawing-rooms, no holder of lady's silk. Till now, my loves have been in the stables, kennels, fields. Blunt language this-- uncomplimentary perhaps; but I am no courtier. I speak as I feel, and I tell you that to win your love in return would be to make me a happy man." "Mr Vining," exclaimed Ella, vainly trying to release her hand, "lead me back, pray!" "Nay," said Charley, with sadness in his tones, "I will not force you to listen to me;" and he released her hand. "I was hopeful that you would have listened to my suit." "Indeed--indeed," said Ella, "I cannot, Mr Vining: it can never be. You forget--position--me!" She could say no more--her words seemed to stifle her; and had she continued speaking, she felt that she would have burst into tears. "I forget nothing," said Charley, almost sternly. "How can I forget? How can I ever forget? But surely," he said, once more catching her hand in his--"surely you cannot with that sweet gentle face be cruel, and love to torture one who has spoken simply the truth--laid bare to you his feelings! You believe what I say?" "Yes, yes!" almost sobbed Ella. "But indeed--indeed it can never be. Do not think me either harsh or cruel, for I mean it not." "What am I to think then?" said Charley bitterly. "Is it that you reject me utterly, or am I so poor a wooer that you would have me on my knees, protesting, swearing? No; I wrong you again: it is not that," he exclaimed passionately. "Look here, Ella"--he plucked one of the white roses, tearing his hand as he did so, the blood appearing in a long mark across the back--"emblematic," he said, smiling sadly, "of my love. You see it has its smarts and pains. You refused me so slight a gift once, but take this; and though I am a man I can freely say that my love for you is as pure and spotless as that simple flower. You will not refuse that?" He could see the tears in her eyes, and that her face was drawn as if with pain; but one trembling hand was extended to take the flower; then, before he could recover from his surprise, she had turned from him and fled; when, with almost a groan, he threw himself upon the garden-seat, remaining motionless for a few moments, and then rising to hurry back to the marquee. Volume 1, Chapter XVI. THE ECHOES OF CHARLEY'S DECLARATION. Two minutes had scarcely elapsed before there was the faint rustling of a lady's dress and the creaking of a boot, and then two pale faces-- those of brother and sister--appeared from a neighbouring clump of evergreens, gazed cautiously about for a few moments, and then moved away in another direction; the moon just beginning to cast their shadows upon the dewy lawn upon whose turf they walked, perhaps because it hushed their footsteps.