"Why, father?" "Because--well, I knew you were happy, and did not wish to cause you pain," he answered. "Pain? What do you mean?" she inquired quickly. "You have been very happy here in Nice, haven't you? I mean that Zertho has made life very pleasant for us both," he stammered. "Certainly. Thanks to him, we've been extremely gay the whole time. So different to our last experience of the Riviera," and she laughed lightly at the recollection of those well-remembered evil days. "You appear to find Zertho a very congenial companion," he observed. She started. Surely her father could not know what had taken place between them during that walk by the moonlit sea on the previous night? "Of course," she answered hesitatingly. "He was always a good friend to poor Nelly and myself, and he is very amusing." "But I have noticed of late that your face betrays your happiness when you walk with him. A woman always shows in her cheeks a distinct consciousness of her success." Her face flushed slightly as she answered,-- "I was not aware that I appeared any happier when in his society than on any other occasion." "It is upon that very point that I desire to speak to you," he went on in a low serious tone. "You will remember that before we left Stratfield Mortimer, I gave you a few words of kindly advice regarding an impossible lover with whom you had foolishly become infatuated." "Yes," she said, "I well remember." "Then it is upon the subject of your marriage that I want again to say a few words to you." "Marriage!" she laughed. "Why, I shall not marry for years yet, dear old dad. Besides, if I left you, whatever would you do?" "Ah, yes, my girl," he answered hoarsely, as a shadow of pain flitted for an instant across his darkened brow. "You must not lose the chance of youth." She closed her book, placed it aside slowly, and regarded him with surprise. "Haven't you always urged me to wait?" she asked half-reproachfully, toying with the two little gipsy rings upon her slim finger. "I understood that you were entirely against my marriage." "So I was when you did not possess the chance of making a wealthy and satisfactory alliance," he replied. His daughter looked at him inquiringly, but hazarded no remark. She saw by the expression of his face how terribly in earnest he was. "You, of course, know to whom I refer," he added, speaking in a low, intense tone, as he bent towards her, gazing still seriously into the sweet, open countenance. "To Zertho," she observed mechanically.