Nell of Shorne Mills

The "your people" flattered her, and she yielded, with a sigh.

"As you please, Mr. Vernon--but I suppose I must now call you 'Drake'?"

she broke off, with a simper; "though, really, it sounds so strange,

and--er--so familiar."

Drake wondered whether he ought to kiss her as he murmured assent.

"I'll do my best to make Nell happy," he said; "and you must make the

best of a bad bargain, my dear Mrs. Lorton; and if you feel like being

very good to me, you'll help me persuade Nell to an early marriage."

She brightened up at the word marriage, and at the prospect of playing a

part in the function beloved of all women; and when Nell stole in, with

pink cheeks and glowing eyes, drew the girl to her and bestowed a

pecklike kiss upon her forehead.

Mrs. Lorton provided the conversation during that meal, and, while she

prosed about the various marriages in the Wolfer family, Nell listened

in dutiful silence, now and again flushing and thrilling as Drake's hand

touched hers or his eyes sought her face.

And Dick behaved very well. He reserved his chaff for a future occasion,

and only permitted himself one allusion to the state of affairs by

taking Nell's hand and murmuring: "Beg pardon, Nell! Thought it was a

spoon!"

As Drake walked down the hill to the Brownies' cottage his heart

throbbed with the first pure happiness of his life. Nell's kiss, which

she had given him at parting at the gate, glowed warm upon his lips. And

if his happiness was alloyed by the reflection that he was deceiving her

in the matter of his rank, he thrust it from him.

After all, what did it matter? What would she care? It was he, the man,

not the viscount, whom she loved. Yes, the gods had been good to him,

notwithstanding the ruin of his prospects; for was he not loved for

himself alone?

He smiled, with a sense of the irony of circumstances, when he

remembered that only a few weeks ago he had congratulated himself that

he had "done with women!" But at that time he had not fallen in love

with Nell of Shorne Mills, and won her love; which made all the

difference!

And Nell? She lay awake in a sleepless dream. Every word he had spoken

came back to her like the haunting refrain of a beautiful song; the

expression in his eyes, the touch of his hand--ah! and more, the kiss of

his lips--were with her still. It was her first love. No man before

Drake had ever spoken of love to her; it was her virgin heart which he

had won; and when this is the case the man assumes the proportions of a

god to the girl.