And laughing lightly, she glided away, eager to seek her daughter whom she expected to find in hysterics up-stairs. Dorian knelt almost reverently before Nita, and lifted her cold little hand to his lips. "God bless you, my own true love! May you never repent that you gave yourself to me!" he cried fervently. For answer, Nita suddenly lifted her drooping form, and threw herself with passionate abandon into his eager arms, clasping his neck and hiding her face on his shoulder, sobbing and shuddering in an alarming, hysterical fashion. Dorian embraced her tenderly, and at length kissed away her tears, leading her to a seat by the window, where the cool sea-breeze fanned her heated brow and cheeks. He did not dream that golden-haired Azalea was crouching stealthily in the thick shrubberies outside, and listening eagerly to their words. "My darling, you must not be frightened at Donald Kayne's threats. He shall pay dearly for his insolence to you," he said, with flashing eyes. "Oh, do not harm him, for I forgive him," cried Nita eagerly. "I am sorry for him, too; I would give worlds to tell him the secret he wishes to know, only I cannot--dare not," and she shuddered wildly. "It seemed strange that you would not grant his wish," Dorian exclaimed uneasily; and she sighed. "There are many strange things about me, Dorian, and I fear you will some day repent that you ever loved me." "Never!" he replied, with a passionate kiss that made the listening Azalea tremble with jealous wrath. "But," he continued tenderly, "I wish you would allow me to get your guardian's consent at once to our engagement. Only think, my darling, how pleasant it would be to be married very soon, and go abroad in this lovely summer weather on our wedding-tour." "Married! Married!" cried Nita, quailing as from a blow. "Oh, we mustn't think of that yet, Dorian--we mustn't, indeed. My guardian would never permit it. I will tell you the truth. He has other views for me. I believe he would kill me before he would permit me to marry you." "Then we will elope, and forestall his refusal." "Oh, no, no, no, my dearest! We cannot do that. Oh, Dorian, do not be in such a frightful hurry to marry me. I will not listen to such a thing for a whole year! We must just love each other and be very, very patient for a year, and--then--we will talk about marriage," Nita cried tremblingly, and with pallid lips. The listening Azalea smiled, incredulously at Nita's protests, and murmured: "She is pretending to be coy, the coquette. But it is not true that she is in no hurry to marry him. She will doubtless elope with him in a week. But why does she put such stress on a year--a whole year?" and the words sunk deep in Azalea's memory to be recalled in fateful after days.