"No; it's really a most unimportant one; I"--and the slight pause gave the assertion force--"I really mean it." Vane partly raised himself with one arm and there was no doubting the significance of his intent gaze. "I believe I made another blunder--in England. I should have had more courage and have faced the risk. But you might have turned against me then." "I don't think that's likely," said Evelyn, lowering her eyes. The man leaned forward towards her, but the hand he stretched out fell short, and the trivial fact once more roused her compassion for his helplessness. "You can only mean one thing," he said. "You wouldn't be afraid to face the future with me now?" "I wouldn't be afraid at all," said Evelyn quietly. By and by Mrs. Nairn tapped at the door and smiled rather broadly when she came in; then she shook her head in reproach. "Ye should have been asleep a while since," she said to Vane, and turned to Evelyn. "Is this the way ye intend to look after him?" She waved the girl towards the door and when she joined her in the passage kissed her effusively. "Ye've got the man I would have chosen for ye," she said. THE END. London: Ward, Lock & Co., Ltd. WARD, LOCK & CO.'S TWO-SHILLING FICTION Crown 8vo. Cloth Gilt. With Illustrations. 2/. net. 1 Lawrence Clavering A. E. W. Mason 3 Limitations E. F. Benson 7 Roger Trewinion Joseph Hocking 8 Half a Hero Anthony Hope 10 A Study in Scarlet A. Conan Doyle 12 To Leeward F. Marion Crawford 13 Comedies of Courtship A. Hope 16 Lady Barbarity J. C. Snaith 17 As We Forgive Them Wm. Le Queux 18 Hawtrey's Deputy Harold Bindloss 19 The Peer and the Woman E. P. Oppenheim 21 Mr. Witt's Widow Anthony Hope 22 The Unknown Lady Justus M. Forman 24 Lord Stranleigh, Philanthropist Robert Barr 25 The Master Mummer E. P. Oppenheim 28 The Postmaster of Market Deignton E. P. Oppenheim 29 The Sign of the Stranger Wm. Le Queux 32 False Evidence E. P. Oppenheim 33 The Tickencote Treasure Wm. Le Queux 34 Mirabel's Island Louis Tracy 35 White Walls Max Pemberton 36 The Lovers Eden Phillpotts 38 The Vow Paul Trent 39 The Purple Robe Joseph Hocking 40 The Trustee Harold Bindloss 41 Expiation E. P. Oppenheim 42 Mysteries Wm. Le Queux 43 The Foundling Paul Trent