"It is because I love you. I love you! Do you understand? Ah, my darling! you don't know what love is. But I ought not to call you so--not yet. I can't see your face; perhaps I shouldn't dare to be so bold if I could. Speak to me, Una; speak to me. Tell me that you are not angry. Tell me that, while I have never had your sweet face out of my mind since that day we parted in Warden, you have thought once or twice of me. I don't deserve it. I'm a bad lot; but I love you, Una. Do you love me?" There was no reply; but there was a soft nestle beside him, and then he felt her hand timidly touch his arm. He slipped the whip and reins into one hand, and seized the little trembling hand and enclosed it as if he meant thus to swallow it up forever. But, alas! the horses were going down hill, and were fidgeting and pulling; and with impatient exclamation at their stupidity, he was obliged to let the little hand go; but it did not go far; he could feel it touching, softly and timidly, the edge of his coat-sleeve, and that was enough for him. It was a mercy and a miracle that the drag was not upset, for he scarcely knew where or how he was driving, and it was more by instinct and habit that he brought the team safe and sound, but sweating tremendously, before the house in Park Lane. "You must all come in," said Lady Bell. The gentlemen looked at their white flannels apologetically, but Lady Bell laughed. "Let us pretend that we are our own masters and mistresses for one night," she said, "and not the slaves of Fashion." Jack stood out. He felt that, for the present, it behooved him to be discreet, and he knew that if he were not, it would be impossible for him to conceal the romantic love which burned through and through him. Besides, he knew that there would be no opportunity of speaking to Una there; and he felt that it would be agony for him to assume the conventional air of polite indifference to her for that evening, at least. So he went. But he stood on the pavement to help her down; and as he held her in his arms, he kept her for one moment poised between heaven and earth; and as he put her down, his lips touched her arm, and she knew it. "I'll see to the horses, Dal," he said; and he leaped up, and drove off as if he were possessed. "That's what the Savage calls seeing to them!" grumbled Dalrymple. "He'll throw 'em down, or run over somebody, and I shall be fined five pounds for furious driving." Jack was conscientious--where horses were concerned--and he sat on the rack and saw them rubbed down and fed with the patience of a martyr; then he jumped into a hansom, was driven to Spider Court, and, bursting into the room, fell into a chair and flung his cap at Leonard's head. "Mad at last!" said Leonard. "Yes, stark, staring, ramping mad, old fellow. I've found her!" "No!" said Leonard, turning round.