"But he's got a good heart," said Derrick, with a smile. Then he felt he could bring the conversation back to themselves. "I am so glad you are happy. I got your address--I can see you are wondering how I got it--from another friend of yours, Mr. Clendon, a remarkably nice old gentleman who was extremely kind to me. Of course, I went to Brown's Buildings the day I arrived." She blushed and her eyes were downcast for a moment. Why "of course"? She pondered this, with a thrill of the heart. "Tell me about yourself, what you've been doing," she said. "You won't think me curious? But, of course, I am interested----" "Naturally, seeing that you saved me, set my feet on a new path," he said; and as he spoke, he seated himself on the bank beside her; but a little lower, so that he could look up into her face. "I've had rather a curious time, since we parted." Then he told her, as briefly as he could, the story of his adventures. And she listened--well, as Desdemona of old listened to Othello; that is to say, her star-like eyes were fixed on his face, as if they were chained there, and she listened, sometimes her breath growing fast, sometimes with an exclamation of amazement, of fear. Her interest, her absorption were so intense that perhaps she was not conscious that imperceptibly he had drawn closer to her, so that his arm was touching her dress and his face was very near hers. Woman is never so charming to us men as when she is listening to the story of our lives; and, oh, what a sympathetic listener was this beautiful, dainty girl, with her wide-open eyes, her red, parted lips, her little sighs and murmured exclamations! "Oh, it is wonderful!" she breathed at last. "It it like a story in a book! I can see it all--you tell it so well; and yet I feel you are not telling half. And this Donna Elvira--what a good, kind woman she must be!" "She is," assented Derrick. "I wish she were also a happy one; but I'm afraid she isn't. There is a kind of mystery about her--but I'm afraid you won't understand from my poor attempt to describe her." "Oh, yes, yes I do!" said Celia. "You make it all so plain. I should like to meet her, to know her." "I'll tell her so--when I go back," said Derrick. What had happened? A moment before, the little wood had been all aglow with the rays of the setting sun, her heart had been palpitating with a sweet, delicious happiness; and now, all quite suddenly, the air had become cold, a chill had struck to her heart. Celia's face paled, she looked up at him and then away from him. With the toe of her dainty shoe, she traced a pattern in the moss at her feet; and still with downcast eyes, she said: "You--you are going back? Of course." "Yes; I must go back," he said, in a dry voice. "As I told you, I have only come over to do this business. I must go back soon." "How--how soon?" she asked, scarcely knowing that she spoke.