“Have you any sisters, Captain Fairfax?” she inquired, apropos of nothing. “No; I wish I had.” “You would be very fond of them, I am sure”--effusively. “I daresay I would.” “Ah!” she exclaimed, leaning over and patting his horse’s back caressingly, and looking up into his face with her bold black eyes--“ah, Captain Fairfax, how I should like to be your sister!” With an imperceptible shudder he replied in his most frosty tone: “You do me far too much honour, Miss Mason.” “Not at all,” she said impressively; “_nothing_ is too good for you, in my opinion.” “You are very kind to say so, I am sure,” he replied, much embarrassed. “I must really be off,” gathering up his reins. “Stay, stay--one second,” she entreated. “You remember the cracker we pulled together at the General’s on Monday, and I would not show you the motto? I was ashamed.” “No doubt you were; some wretched, vulgar rubbish”--preparing to depart. “No, no, not that,” she cried eagerly, “only--only--you will understand all when I give it to you--when _I_ give it to _you_, you understand. I know you will not think it either wretched or vulgar when you read it. Do not look at it till you get home and are quite--quite _alone_,” she added, pressing an envelope into his most reluctant hand. “All right,” he replied, taking off his hat and rapidly riding away, only too glad to escape. In the privacy of his own room he opened the mysterious envelope, and held its contents--a narrow slip of paper--to the lamp. It ran as follows: My hand, my heart, my life, are thine; Thy hand, thy heart, thy life, are mine. “Not that I know of,” he exclaimed fiercely, and colouring to the roots of his hair. “The woman must be insane,” he muttered, tearing the motto into fragments and scattering them on the floor. “She could not really think I cared two straws about her. If it is a joke, as of course it is,” he proceeded, “it is by no means a nice one, or one that a thoroughly lady-like girl would ever dream of practising. If she _were_ my sister,” he continued, with a grim smile, “I would give her a piece of my mind that would astonish her weak nerves. God forbid she was any relation to me!” he added fervently. “I’ll give her an uncommonly wide berth for the future.”