"Ah! I know that, poor dad," Liane answered caressingly, in a tone of sympathy, her arms again about his neck. "In the days gone by, because you played fairly, and was never an unscrupulous sharper like Zertho, luck forsook you. They laughed at you because you cared so much for me: because you held Nelly and I aloof from the dregs of society into which you had fallen. You were courageous always, and never when the days were darkest did you relinquish hope, or did your love for me wane. Yet," and she paused, "yet if you still cared for me as once you did, I cannot but feel that you would hesitate ere you urged me to a hateful alliance with a man I can never love." "I am but endeavouring to secure your future happiness, Liane," he answered, his voice sounding deep and hollow. A silence fell, deep and impressive, broken only by the low, monotonous roar of the waves beating upon the shore outside, and the musical jingle of the bells on a pair of carriage-horses that were passing. Liane started as she recognised the sound. They were Zertho's. Erle Brooker would have rather died by his own hand ere he had persuaded her to marry this man; yet for the hundredth time he proved to himself that by suicide he would merely leave her unprotected, while she would most probably afterwards learn from Zertho the terrible secret which he was determined should, at all hazards, remain locked within his own troubled heart. "To persuade me to marry the Prince is but to urge me to a doom worse than death," she exclaimed passionately at last. "No, dad, I am sure you would never wish me to do this when I am so contented to live as I am with you. If we are penniless--well, I shall never complain. It will not be the first time that I have wanted a meal, and gone early to bed because I've been hungry. I promise I'll not complain, only do not endeavour to force me to marry Zertho. Let me remain with you." "Alas! you cannot, my child!" he answered in a hard, dry, agonised tone, his hand trembling nervously. "Why?" "You must forget young Stratfield, and become Princess d'Auzac," he said firmly, intense anxiety betrayed upon his haggard countenance. "Never!" "But you must," he cried brokenly, with emphasis. "It is imperative-- for my sake, Liane--you must marry him, for my sake." CHAPTER TEN. MASK AND DOMINO.