There was pain as well as anger in Mark’s tone. He knew very well what Maurice thought—what others were likely to think: and although Lady Forsyth did not guess it, his sensitiveness on Sheila’s account almost equalled her own. It hurt him horribly that by any act of his he should seem to cast even the slightest slur on her. And he saw no reason. For years they had been like brother and sister. Certainly, since her return from India he had caught himself wondering⸺ But before wonder could crystallise into belief, Bel had arisen in her moonlight beauty and all the stars of heaven had suffered eclipse. Come to think of it, he owed young Lenox a debt he could never repay; and for the rest of the way he made royal atonement for his flash of temper. ‘Good night, old chap,’ he said when they reached the house. ‘I’m not turning in just yet.’ And for more than half an hour he paced the terrace, wondering, hoping, dreaming; while his mother lay awake in her bedroom above, both windows flung wide, listening to the restless sound of his footsteps; wondering also; and scarcely daring to hope that he had already spoken and been refused. Not until she heard him come in, at last, and shut the door of his room, did she let her tired body have its way and fall into a troubled sleep. CHAPTER III. ‘You know not the limit of this kingdom, still you are its queen.’ RABINDRANATH TAGORE. Miss O’Neill, as might be supposed, proved no easy subject for diplomatic manipulation. Long before they had made an end of their picnic-lunch, in a glen of rocks and birches and purple cushions of heather, she had effectually given Mr. Lenox to understand that she was neither to be deceived nor coerced by his tactful attempts to detach her from the other two. Years of pushing and shouldering through obstacles, in the Suffrage campaign, had so far blunted her finer sensibilities that she could smilingly hold her ground even among those who obviously wished her elsewhere: and she held it to-day, till Mark lost patience and frankly took the bull by the horns. ‘I say, Miss O’Neill, you might take pity on Lenox and honour him with your company up the glen,’ he said; and beneath his engaging tone there lurked a faint note of command. ‘He’s no fisherman, and he can’t keep himself to himself for ten minutes on end. So you see, it would be a real act of charity to remove him.’ ‘Yes, Sir Mark, I can see _that_ without spectacles,’ answered the redoubtable Harry, challenging him with her greenish-brown eyes. ‘Good business!’ Sir Mark retorted unabashed. ‘When you reach the high moor you’ll be rewarded by a view that’s worth some climbing to see. Of course, if Miss Alison would prefer to go with you⸺’