The New Magdalen

"You will come back here?" (Lady Janet lowered her voice to a whisper.)

"There is really a reason, Julian, for your not leaving the house now."

"I promise not to go away, aunt, until I have provided for your

security. If you, or your adopted daughter, are alarmed by another

intrusion, I give you my word of honor my card shall go to the police

station, however painfully I may feel it myself." (He, too, lowered his

voice at the next words ) "In the meantime, remember what I confessed

to you while we were alone. For my sake, let me see as little of Miss

Roseberry as possible. Shall I find you in this room when I come back?"

"Yes."

"Alone?"

He laid a strong emphasis, of look as well as of tone, on that one word.

Lady Janet understood what the emphasis meant.

"Are you really," she whispered, "as much in love with Grace as that?"

Julian laid one hand on his aunt's arm, and pointed with the other to

Horace--standing with his back to them, warming his feet on the fender.

"Well?" said Lady Janet.

"Well," said Julian, with a smile on his lip and a tear in his eye, "I

never envied any man as I envy _him!_"

With those words he left the room.