From boyhood he had been secretly interested in the girl, and the events following on his late visit to The Crags had intensified the feeling. Love grew from pity and admiration, blended; and when Lelia threw him over and he was free, the scales fell from his eyes, and he saw in the beautiful face and noble character of the poor young girl the realization of his dreams of happiness. In the impetuous moment when he placed the ring on her trembling hand he wished that she might some day become his wife. He knew quite well that he would have to encounter the bitter opposition of his family, that their pride would stand aghast at a union between a Willoughby and the gipsy foundling. No matter, he would wed to please himself, and if his proud father chose to disinherit him, he would still be rich, having a snug fortune inherited from his dead mother. With such hopes and plans he had gone away, and on reaching home he had been tempted to write to Miss Willoughby and confide in her, begging for her friendship for Gipsy and himself; telling her all the truth of the rupture between himself and Lelia, his change of heart toward Gipsy and desire to make her his wife. Very eloquently he pleaded that she would put aside pride and help him to his happiness. “I realize, fully, what a blow it will be to the family, the breaking off with Lelia, but with her imperious, jealous nature, she could never have made me happy. I question now, in the light of my feelings for Gipsy Darke, whether I ever really loved Lelia save with a complacent, cousinly love,” he wrote frankly--and a little further on: “My cousin cannot charge that I have behaved badly to her, because she has made me the victim of her caprices a long time, and no one can blame me that my patience is exhausted. When she gave me back my ring, she told me she loved another, so she ought to rejoice that I can say the same. “If you are vexed with me, dear aunt, I am grieved; because, next to my father and my dark-eyed young love, you are the dearest one on earth to me. I know you have loved me fondly, too, because you have twice given me to understand that you meant to divide your fortune between Lelia and myself. Perhaps you will not wish to do so now, but if you will only be kind to my sweet young love, I am willing for you to make Lelia your sole heiress. We shall not need riches to ensure our happiness.” With a throbbing heart he posted this letter, little dreaming that it was destined to fall into Lelia’s hands, and of the fury it would rouse in her jealous breast.