At that moment she entered the room, wearing the Giovanni Bellini hat. The look of fatigue had disappeared. Once more her eyes were lighted up with those mysterious fires--once more the rich colour was in her cheeks. Osborne's heart bounded at sight of her; all the gloom and dullness of that day faded out of his mind at the spectacle of her youth and beauty. Who but a fool would bother himself about who had lived nine thousand years ago, when he might rest his eyes on such a form and such a face as this? Who would care for the voice of science or of history, when such a voice as hers was waiting at his ears? 'Miss Osborne will not be down for about twenty minutes. Her watch was stopped, and she did not think it was so late,' she said as she came up the room towards the young men. 'Osborne,' said Nevill ruefully, 'you really ought to get your sister's watch looked after. Most serious consequences often arise from watches being slow.' 'She gave it to me, Mr Osborne,' said the girl, holding out her hand as she spoke, 'to take to you, and get it repaired. She thinks the mainspring must be broken.' 'Allow me to look,' interposed Nevill. 'I'm no end of a swell at watches. A fellow who is always kicking about must know a lot about watches. When you are out West, you don't always care to ask Dog's Tail or Sitting Bull what he thinks of the sanitary condition of your watch. No, it's not the mainspring. The mainspring is all right. Stop, there's a jeweller's just at the end of the Row. I'll run out and let him have a look at it. Perhaps he can put it right before Miss Osborne comes down. I shall be back in twenty minutes or a little less.' As he spoke he left the room. When he found himself in the passage he looked around furtively. No one was in view. He hastily raised the watch to his lips and kissed it, whispering,-- 'I wanted that; and there was no good in my staying and spoiling sport.' When he had gone, Miss Gordon moved still closer to where Osborne sat spellbound by admiration. Insensibly he rose and held out his hand. She gave him hers. 'I never saw you looking so lovely before,' he said slowly--he retained her hand, and kept his eyes fixed on her face--'never.' 'I am glad to hear you say so,' she answered gently. She looked up at him for an instant, and blushed and smiled. 'Do you like this hat as well to-day as the first time you saw it?' 'I like the owner a thousand times better.' 'You know what I told you?' 'I have forgotten nothing you have ever told me, child.' 'You recollect I said if I put on that hat I should put on my saucy manner?' 'I recollect all you said, child. What of it?' 'You would be sorry if I put this hat off for ever?' 'It becomes you very well.' 'You would be sorry if I put away my saucy manner for ever?' 'Your sweeter manner becomes you better.' 'This morning, when I was looking at the sky, I saw all at once how foolish I had been, and how wise you are.'