He gathered a half-blown rose，the first on the bush，and offered

it to me.

"Thank you，sir."

"Do you like this sunrise，Jane? That sky with its high and light

clouds which are sure to melt away as the day waxes warm- this

placid and balmy atmosphere?"

"I do，very much."

"You have passed a strange night，Jane."

"Yes，sir."

"And it has made you look pale- were you afraid when I left you alone with Mason?"

"I was afraid of some one ing out of the inner room."

"But I had fastened the door- I had the key in my pocket: I should have been a careless shepherd if I had left a lamb- my pet lamb- so near a wolf"s den，unguarded: you were safe."

"Will Grace poole live here still，sir?"

"Oh yes! don"t trouble your head about her- put the thing out of your thoughts."

"Yet it seems to me your life is hardly secure while she stays."

"Never fear- I will take care of myself."

"Is the danger you apprehended last night gone by now，sir?"

"I cannot vouch for that till Mason is out of England: nor even then. To live，for me，Jane，is to stand on a crater-crust which may crack and spue fire any day."

"But Mr. Mason seems a man easily led. Your influence，sir，is evidently potent with him: he will never set you at defiance or wilfully injure you."

"Oh no! Mason will not defy me; nor，knowing it，will he hurt me- but，unintentionally，he might in a moment，by one careless word，deprive me，if not of life，yet for ever of happiness."

"Tell him to be cautious，sir: let him know what you fear，and show him how to avert the danger."

He laughed sardonically，hastily took my hand，and as hastily threw it from him.