"You might," and there was the caressing tone in his voice of which I have already spoken, "tell me wherein I displease you. It would be the effort of my life to change." He came directly toward her at this, o'er close, it seemed to me, and stood looking down into her eyes, which were fixed upon his. "You mean it?" she asked. "By the love I bear you, the best thing my life has ever known--I mean it to the last letter. In fact, I spoke of it this afternoon to your father, Lord Stair. You've made a change in me. I'm not promising too much, but I am intending a reform of myself. Let me put it to you, not too earnestly, lest nothing come of it, but so you can get the drift of my thoughts. "I have come to believe that your creed of love and helpfulness to every one is a stronger one than mine. It is not a proven thing to me yet, but I think one gets more in a subtler way than I can name from living by it. My head has got me so far in the working out of it. My heart----" "Your heart will help you the most," said Nancy. "And it is there I am hoping for help from you." And here, perhaps to avoid the avowal which she felt might be coming, she took a tangent: "Will your new wisdom carry you so far as to write a letter for me, one with your signature at the bottom?" "It will," his grace answered, without a second's hesitation seating himself at the writing-table. "It is for you to dictate it," he went on, with the paper spread before him, pen in hand. "My dear Mr. Carmichael," Nancy began. His grace started to his feet--this was far from anything for which he was prepared. So for a space they regarded each other steadily, and then I saw Nancy put her soft little hand over the one of the duke's which rested on the table; and his smile and movement of the shoulders, as though he surrendered everything at her touch, was one of the bravest bits of love-making I have ever seen. He seated himself again, and Nancy, standing at his side, went on: "I am writing to you to-night to ask your pardon for the entirely unworthy course which I have pursued toward you during the past six weeks." Again the duke paused, and I could see his jaw set as he regarded the words, which were bitter enough to his palate. "The matters which led to the quarrel between us were of my own breeding, and I wish to apologize to you for them. Sign it," said Nancy. "I am willing," the duke answered, with an odd smile; "but, little girl, a man doesn't insult another man and then crawl out of the consequences of his act by letter. Have I your permission to effect this thing in a bit more masculine way? I promise a retraction of my conduct, and that I shall be humble enough----" "And there will be no duel?" "There will be no duel," Borthwicke answered, and, subtle creature that he was, he saw by the look in Nancy's face how much his yielding had gained for him with her, and seized the occasion.