"Oh, I don't know--I should never, never promise to marry anyone unless I loved him with my whole heart; but when I did, I'd stick to him if the whole world were against us." "I believe you would." Mr Rayner hesitated at the end of these words as if he were about to say something further, but the hesitation ended in silence, and presently Hilary leapt to her feet and began to pace up and down. "Oh, let us walk about. I can't sit still. I am too nervous. If we go along this path we shall not meet anybody, and it will pass the time. I can't bear to think of what is going on inside the house." So for the next hour they walked up and down trying in vain to talk upon outside topics, and coming back again and again to the same painful theme. At last the sound of wheels came to their ears again. The fly could be seen wending its way down the country lane, and Hilary lost no time in running home to rejoin her father in his study. He was standing with his arms resting upon the mantelpiece, his head buried in his hands, and when he turned to meet her, it struck the girl with a stab of pain that for the first time he looked old--an old man, tired and worn with the battle of life. "Well?" she gasped; and he answered with a long-drawn sigh. "Well--it is over! The most painful scene I have ever gone through in my life. He wouldn't believe me, poor fellow! Then Lettice came in. He looked at her, and--the light died out of his face. It was very pitiful. He was brave and manly; would not blame her, or hear her blamed. I admired him more than I could have believed possible. He said very little. Stricken to the heart, poor fellow, and I could do nothing for him! He has gone back to town to stop preparations. I would have given my right hand to help him." "Father dear! You look so ill! It has been too much strain. What can I do for you now? Let me do something!" "Send in Rayner to have a smoke with me. How thankful I am that he is here. He is a comfort and strength to us all!" CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. THE SUNNY CLIMES. The sun was shining over the lake of Thun, and the little steamer was puffing cheerily through the water. Behind lay the picturesque town, with its rushing river, and quaint, old-world buildings; in front lay-- ah! what a scene of beauty and grandeur! Surely, it were worth while to travel from the ends of the earth to see this marvellous sight. The blue waters, fringed with brilliant foliage; the trees in their autumn glory, the rowan-berries making patches of scarlet here and there, the solemn pines capping the mountain height, and at the head of the lake-- beautiful, dazzling, majestic--the snow-clad range of Eiger, Monck, and Jungfrau. In all the beautiful world there can be few spots so beautiful as the lake of Thun, as seen upon a glorious September afternoon!