“Stop!” ses Miss Claire, toorning rownd suddintly, “wait wan minit” ses she. “Ansser me this Mr. Dudley,” ses she. “What rite have you, an ingaged man, to spake to me in such a way?” “What rite have _I_” ses he, looking biterly amoosed “Yes” ses he, “throo, I _was_ ingaged wance, Miss Wolley. I belave” ses he, “I guv you me muther’s ring.” “No!” ses she, and her voyce rung out pashunutly “Not that! I don’t meen that ingagemint——ef you considered it ever such” ses she, and her voyce catched oop in her throte which she hild wid her hand, “I mean” ses she, “yure ingagemint to Una Robbins. You——” He looked so flabbygasted that she stopped. “What do you mean?” ses he. “Oh you know, you know” ses she. “Befure you were gone a fortnite” ses she “yure ingagemint was annownced.” “My ingage——Claire!” ses he horsely, and he saized hold of her hand vilintly. “Theres sum misurable mistake. You’ve been misled, desaved.” “No, no, no” ses she struggling to free her hands, which he let go suddintly. “It was annownsed” ses she. “You know it. You know it.” “Annownced whare?” ses he cauldly. “In the London Queen.” “When!” “I don’t——” It was thin I spoke up, for I’d taken the paper frum the recipshun hall the day Miss Claire faynted, intinding to burn the dummed thing. I now guv it to Mr. Harry. He toorned it over contemshusly. Thin he guv the paper a long scrootiny. Finally he looked up and fixed his eyes on Miss Claire. His voyce is very cam and quiet. “This notiss” ses he, “was published exactly three and a half yeers ago. If you had aven taken the thrubble to examine the paper you wud have seen that, aven tho the date is torn aff. Thank you for your faith in me” ses he. “Who sent this I do not no. Probably my father. And now” ses he “theres nothing more to say. I hope you will be happy Claire. I don’t know Vandybilt” ses he, “but—still I hope you will be happy. Good-nite” ses he, and he wint oot of the dure, widout looking at her again. I seen her wake oop like wan coming out of a transe. She guv a little moan, and thin she wint following after him to the hall. “Harry! Harry!” she called in the dark. I herd him stop short, and thin her voyce agin. “Oh forgive me” ses she. “I—I—faynted at the time. I never saw the paper again. My—my hart was broken, for I loved you so—I love you yet” ses she. And thin I herd him joomp tord her. “But yure ingagemint to Vandybilt” ses he horsely. “Theres _no_ Mr. Vandybilt” ses she, “I—I made it up” ses she, and then she stopped spaking and crying too for he’s got his arms aboot her and her lips closed oop wid his. I toorned away and sobbed. How long they stud I do not know, but it was a long time whin finully he starts to spake again: “Claire—my darlint!” ses he, and thin again they are silint. Then after awile. “What will we do?” ses she, “we—we cant give aich uther up now.” He larfed like a boy.