"Yessir; let me take yo' bag, suh; I'll tote it upstairs. My!" as Douglas stepped forward so that the hall light fell full on him, "how yo' do favor yo' pa, the ole Cunnel." Douglas laughed. "Thanks. Have the ladies come yet?" "Yessir. Dey's upstairs makin' demselves comfo'able. Cunnel Thornton will be down direckly. Yo' jes' walk inter de pawlar." Douglas strolled over to the large hall mirror and inspected his tie with care; he had been in a hurry when getting into his evening clothes at the Albany, and the tie had proved troublesome. He readjusted it with care, felt in his vest pocket for a small box, then turned and surveyed his surroundings. A coach and four might have driven through the broad hall which ran the length of the house. At the end of the hall two broad circular staircases led to a wide landing, from which branched the two flights of steps leading to the first bedroom floor. Doors leading to the drawing-room, library, billiard, and dining rooms opened on the right and left of the hall. Remembering that the drawing-room was to the left of the entrance, Douglas entered the open hall door and walked over to the mantelpiece to see the time by the tall marble clock. "Aren't you going to speak to _me_?" asked a voice behind him, and Douglas sprang around with an exclamation of delight. Eleanor was seated on a chair by one of the windows, and its high back, which was partly turned to the hall door, had concealed her from view. "My darling!" Douglas kissed the winsome face rapturously. "Nicodemus told me you had arrived, but that you were upstairs, otherwise I should have come in at once; I begrudge the time I wasted in the hall." "I hurried and came down ahead of the others, hoping that you would get here early; I particularly wanted to see you, Douglas." "Did you?" in mock surprise. "I've been wanting to see you ever since I left you this morning. The time has dragged since then." She slipped her hand in his. "It's just this, Douglas," her softly modulated voice had a trace of nervousness: "I want to ask you to keep our engagement a secret"--his face fell--"just a few days," hastily. "I want to get accustomed to it before telling the family"--she blushed divinely. "It's such a precious secret." Douglas took her face between his hands and pressed a passionate kiss on her lips. "Your wish is my law," he said gravely. "I was disappointed for the moment, because I am anxious to have the whole world know my happiness. I brought you this"--pulling a small square box from his vest pocket and laying it in her outstretched hand. With a low cry of pleasure she pulled off the wrapping paper and opened the box. The light from the lamp on the table near her chair was reflected back from a superb ruby in a diamond setting. The box slipped from her nervous fingers and rolled on the floor. "Oh, get it quick, Douglas, I didn't mean to be so clumsy."