"You are young," he said; "you have the world before you. You have the chance of winning the love of a beautiful and very rich girl. You have got into many difficulties which many other young men in your station have, alas! also plunged themselves in. There is a way out; but there is not an hour to lose. Write to her to-night: beg for an interview. She is with Lady Marian Dixie in Cadogan Place. You can see her in the morning. Speak to her quickly--before she gives you her news. You can retrieve your position: all is not lost. No one knows at Langdale, with the exception of Mrs Fortescue, that I have come up to town; no one shall know. I will take the evening train and creep back to the Moat under shadow of the darkness. You cannot possibly have heard the news-- so people will say. Act on my advice, Michael--act on my advice." "Come out and have something to eat," was Michael Reid's response. And now he took his father by the arm and drew him down stairs, and took him to a good restaurant not far off. The old man was full of the most intense excitement. The young man was calm and looked collected and firm. That germ of true manliness was growing bigger. That little flickering flame of real nobility was beginning to warm his hitherto frozen heart. After the meal was over, the Major again spoke on the subject of Florence. "I understand exactly what you want me to do," Michael replied. "Don't say another word. Keep your own counsel till you hear from me," and this was all the Major could get out of his son Michael. But he himself felt that his hurried journey to town had not been thrown away. He was almost sure that Michael's future was secure. He trembled with delight. "If only it is never, never known that I rushed up to town to acquaint the lad, all will be well," was his last thought as he lay down very late that night to sleep. "Mrs Fortescue won't dare to tell; I'll take precious good care that it is not worth her while. No one else has seen me: it will never be known." So, while the old man slept, dreaming wonderful dreams with regard to Michael, Michael Reid himself fought with temptation and, to his credit be it pronounced--conquered. In the course of the next day two letters were received by two different people. They were both in the Lieutenant's well-known handwriting. The Major trembled much when his reached him. He looked at it, almost fearing to open it, but by degrees he calmed down sufficiently to wrest the contents from the envelope, and read Michael's few words. They ran as follows:-- "My dear Father,--