"Rupert, tell me truly, if May Everard had not come here, would you not ere this have asked Aileen to be your wife?" "Yes--no--I don't know! Mother!" the young man cried, impatiently, "what has May Everard done that you should treat her like this?" "Nothing; and I love her dearly, and you know it. But she is not suited to you--she is not the woman you should marry." Sir Rupert laughed--a hard strident laugh. "I think Miss Everard is much of your opinion, my lady. You might have spared yourself all these fears and perplexities, for the simple reason that I should have been refused had I asked." "Rupert?" "Nay, mother mine, no need to wear that frightened face. I haven't asked Miss Everard in so many words to marry me, and she hasn't declined with thanks; but she would if I did. I saw enough to-day of that." "Then you don't care for Aileen?" with a look of blank consternation. "I care for her very much, mother; and I haven't owned to being absolutely in love with our pretty little May. Perhaps I care for one as much as the other; perhaps I know in my inmost heart she is the one I should marry. That is, if she will marry me." "You owe it to her to ask her." "Do I? Very likely; and it would make you happy, my mother?" He came and bent over her again, smiling down in her wan, anxious face. "More happy than anything else in this world, Rupert!" "Then consider it an accomplished fact. Before the sun sets to-day Aileen Jocyln shall say yes or no to your son." He bent and kissed her; then, without waiting for her to speak, wheeled round and strode out of the apartment. "There is nothing like striking whilst the iron is hot," said the young man to himself, with a grim sort of smile, as he ran down-stairs. Loitering on the lawn, he encountered May Everard, still in her riding-habit, surrounded by three or four poodle-dogs. "On the wing again, Rupert? Is it for mamma? She is not worse?" "No; I am going to Jocyln Hall. Perhaps I shall fetch Aileen back." May's turquoise blue eyes were lifted with a sudden luminous, intelligent flash to his face. "God speed you! You will certainly fetch Aileen back!" She held out her hand with a smile that told him she knew all as plainly as he knew it himself. "You have my best wishes, Rupert, and don't linger; I want to congratulate Aileen." Sir Rupert's response to these good wishes was very brief and curt. Miss Everard watched him mount and ride off, with a mischievous little smile rippling round her rosy lips. "My lady has been giving the idol of her existence a caudle lecture--subject, matrimony," mused Miss Everard, sauntering lazily along in the midst of her little dogs: "and really it is high time, if she means to have Aileen for a daughter-in-law, for the heir of Thetford Towers is rather doubtful that he is not falling in love with me; and Aileen is dreadfully jealous and disagreeable; and my lady is anxious and fidgeted to death about it; and--oh-h-h! good gracious!"