The woman shuddered visibly, and clasped her hands once more till the blood flew back under the almond-shaped nails, leaving them white as pearls. "How indifferently you speak of a thing which drives me mad!" "Indifferently? No. You have made your arrangements, and do me the honor to include mine with them." "You are angry with me--hurt that I can decide on this marriage." "No, neither angry nor hurt on that point." She looked at him imploringly. "Is this said in order to wound me?" "It is said because I feel it." "And you do not care that I bind myself for life to this man?" "Care? Yes; why not?" "I have thought it all over hundreds of times, when we talked of marriage those lovely nights on the beach. It was a sweet dream, worthy of two young people in their teens. We forgot everything,--the luxurious habits which had become second nature to us both,--the impossibility of making even love wild as ours suffice with everything else wanting. We were neither young enough nor foolish enough to carry that idea out." "Or, even then, to entertain it seriously for a moment," said Lawrence, coldly breaking in upon her. "Perhaps not," she said, mournfully. "It was a dream, and as such we discussed it; but the wish--oh! that was strong with us both!" A cloud of disgustful feelings swept over the man's face, such as fill a refined heart while reviving some passion that has died out in contempt. "Well, we will not dwell upon these moonlight dreams, but the future." "Which will, at least, give us the right to see each other, and will secure between us one of the largest fortunes in the United States. If we cannot be all in all to each other, everything else necessary to happiness will be ours." Again that expression swept over his face, but she was not looking at him; the thoughts in her mind were such as turn the eyes away from any human countenance. I could read all this plainly in their two faces. "Let us pass over these things," he said, gravely regarding her. "You and I ought to know that human will seldom regulates events; let us try to act rightly and leave them with a higher power." She looked at him in amazement an instant; then answered, with a self-sustained laugh,-- "Strong spirits make their own circumstances! We are making ours!" "I know that is your opinion; but no matter, this is no place for discussion. Once again, let me understand. I am not disposed to criticise your motives for this--I will use the softer word-- mystification; but now we must take clear ground. You again assure me that, in seeking Miss Lee, I shall not meet with a rebuff either from the lady or her father?" "I am sure of it." "Then I will go at once. But how can I explain?" "Say that you were informed of her visit to Bosworth, and went off in a fit of jealousy." "And if she asks of my informant?" "Say that you saw her with your own eyes." "Don't you think it would be as well to speak the truth for once?" said Lawrence, with a grave smile.