"Keep you here on a visit to myself--a visit that can never terminate." Insensibly, she drew a little from him. Not that the words would have been unwelcome had circumstances justified them; how welcome, the sudden rush of inward joy, the wild coursing on of all her pulses, told her. But--loving him though she did; conscious or half-conscious of his love for her--it never occurred to the mind of Anna Chester that a union would be within the range of possibility. She--the poor humble slave--be wedded by a great and wealthy gentleman like Isaac Thornycroft! "Would you object to the visit, Anna--though it were to be for life?" "It could not be," she answered, in a low tone, not affecting to misunderstand him. "Oh, couldn't it!" said Isaac, amused, and taking up rather the wrong view of the words. "But if you and I say it shall?" "Halloa! Is it you, Isaac? How d'ye do, Miss Chester?" Richard Thornycroft, coming suddenly into the path from a side crossing, halted as he spoke. Isaac, put out for once in his life, bit his lips. "I want you, Isaac. I was looking for you. Here's some bother up." "What bother?" testily rejoined Isaac. "You had better come down and hear it. Tomlett--Come along." Seeing plainly that his walk with Anna was over for the time, Isaac Thornycroft turned off with his brother, leaving Anna to go on alone to the gate, which was in sight. "Good-day for the present, Anna," he said, with apparent carelessness. "Tell Mary Anne not to wait tea for me. I may not be in."