But Marjolaine had not done. "And you ’re going to marry a great lady who owns half a county and goes about doing good. The Hon—Hon—" what a nuisance it was that she could not keep her sobs down!—"the Honourable Caroline Thring!—Oh, does n’t it sound horrid!" "I ’m not going to marry her!" Jack almost shouted. "And she does n’t want to marry me; and there ’s only one girl in the world for me, and that’s you—you—you!" He tried to draw her down again, but she resisted. Caroline Thring was not the only obstacle. "Jack," she said, with tragic solemnity, "I ’m the one girl in the world you can never marry!" Her manner was so intense, that even Jack was, for the moment, awed. "You speak as if you meant it!" he said, staring at her in astonishment. "I do!" Her manner grew more and more solemn. She looked like the Tragic Muse, and I am not sure she did not rather enjoy the impression she was creating. Her voice rang deep and hollow. "We are fated to part." "Why on earth—?" cried Jack, almost frightened. "It is a terrible secret," she answered. Then she suddenly sat down beside him. "Sit close! Oh, closer!" Now she was a child again, revelling in a good story. "Listen. Your father loved my mother when they were both very young—" "No!" cried Jack. "’M. And he went on loving her for years and years and years! And then he left her for ever, just as you left me last Saturday; and went and married the Honourable Caroline Thring." "What!" cried Jack, utterly bewildered. "Oh, well—same thing—some other great lady." Jack gave a low whistle. "And Maman ’s never forgotten it, just as I never should. And that’s why she fainted when she heard your name." Jack whistled again. Then a new idea occurred to him. "That accounts for my father’s temper just now." Marjolaine was puzzled. "Just now?" she asked. "When I landed, he was here with your mother." "Oh!" cried Marjolaine, astonished and frightened. "Sir Peter told me," Jack went on. "It was a close shave. I had just time to borrow the fisherman’s coat and hat. When my father came away he was perfectly furious. He did n’t know me, but he swore at me horribly." Marjolaine nodded wisely. "You see! Maman had been telling him exactly what she thought about him. Oh, Jack, they are enemies and we must part forever." She stood up and resumed her finest tragedy-queen manner. "It is what they call a blood-feud!" Jack sprang to his feet. "Then we must marry to wipe it out!" he cried. "Marjory, we must fly!" "Fly—?" "Fly!—run away!—elope!" "Leave Maman—!" cried Marjolaine, very properly shocked. "I could n’t do it!" "You ’d have to if we were married," he argued. "Afterwards, perhaps," answered the ever-ready Marjolaine, "but not before." Jack thought he would clinch the matter. "We’ll be married at once. Then it’ll be afterwards."