Ah, had she but done so, how much misery might have been spared the hapless girl! But she put the impulse from her with a shudder. No, no, she could not breathe to human ears the story of her false lover and the tragedy that had ended her dream of love. She had never permitted her thoughts to dwell upon Lester Armstrong since that fatal night. If there were times when she thought of him as when she knew him first, seemingly so loving, tender and true, she put the thought quickly from her, remembering him as she saw him that fatal night--transformed suddenly into a demon by strong drink, when he struck her down upon finding that she had just been disinherited--that she was not the heiress that he had taken her to be. He thought his crime buried fathoms deep under the drifting snow heaps. Ah, how great would be his terror to find that the grave to which he had consigned her had given her back to the world of the living! No, no, she could not shock Claire's young ears with that horrible story! It would be bad enough for her to learn of it in after years. Thus Faynie settled the matter in her own mind, and her lips were sealed. One morning Claire burst eagerly into the room, quite as soon as it was light. "I was here late last night, but you were asleep, Faynie," she said, "and I came away, though I could scarcely wait to tell you the wonderful news." "I think I can guess what it is," replied Faynie, stroking the girl's brown curls, "Your lover has declared his love for you and asked you to be his wife. Is it not so?" "You know it could be nothing else which could make me so very, very happy," laughed Claire, her cheeks reddening. "And you have answered--yes?" asked Faynie. "Of course I said yes," responded Claire. "And when is the wedding to take place?" queried Faynie, hoping with all her heart that this lover of whom the girl was so desperately fond loved Claire for herself--not for the wealth she had fallen heir to. Claire raised her bright, blushing face shyly, the dimples coming and going, making her rather plain little face almost beautiful at that moment. "Mamma wanted the marriage put off for a year--I am so young--but Lester was so impatient that he would consent to no such arrangement. He wants the ceremony performed with as little delay as is absolutely necessary." "Lester!" The name went through Faynie's heart like the thrust of a knife. For an instant every nerve in her body seemed to tremble and throb with quick, spasmodic pain, then to stand still as though the chill of death were creeping over her. Her eyes grew dim with an awful darkness, and Claire's voice seemed far off and indistinct. Then the world faded from her altogether and she fell at Claire's feet all in a little heap, in a dead swoon. CHAPTER XXIII. THE PROPOSAL. With all possible haste Claire summoned the housekeeper and gave Faynie into her charge.