But there was no time for hesitation. Already Launce had come to a halt. In another moment he would have turned and bent his steps towards the house. She laid a detaining hand on his sleeve. “Before you see my aunts,” she said in a slightly tremulous voice, “I have something of much importance to reveal to you—something of which I myself had no knowledge till this morning.” He turned on her a quick startled look. There was something in the way she had spoken which convinced him that it was no ordinary young lady’s secret—such as the confession of some prior girlish romance—that was about to be told him. It was quite out of the question that this pure-eyed, candid-browed, fair young creature could have anything to reveal which could in any way affect his suit for her hand. It might be that her conscience—and that she had a very tender conscience he did not doubt—troubled her about some trivial sin of omission, or commission, as to which she felt that she must take him into her confidence, but at which he, a man, could well afford to smile, and never give to it as much as a second thought. The look of startled surprise merged into one of his brightest smiles. He pressed her hand as if to give her confidence. “Whatever may be the nature of what you have to tell me,” he said, “you are at least assured beforehand of my sympathy, should you deem it worthy of acceptance.” She cast on him a grateful look. “Here is my favourite walk,” she said. “Let us turn into it. It is the most secluded spot in the grounds, and, as a rule, the gardener and I have it all to ourselves.” It seemed as if she were pitifully desirous of delaying her revelation till the last possible moment. Now, however, she drew in her breath and took the plunge which could no longer be avoided. In brief but clear terms she proceeded to narrate to her astonished listener the details of that romantic episode of which she had been the baby heroine. She told him all as it had been told to her; she kept nothing back. Keymer listened with growing uneasiness. He had drawn one of her hands within his arm, and, as they strolled along, turning and retracing their steps from one end of the walk to the other, he pressed it gently to his side from time to time, as if to assure her that the sympathy he had promised her was hers in fullest measure.