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Grace, however, was no specialist in men'sof the form And she was embarrassed:

"lovely creature" entle modesty

"But can it be," said he, suddenly, "that you really were here?"

"I have to confess that I have been in the room once before," faltered

she "The woman showed me in, and went away to fetch you; but as she

did not return, I left"

"And you saw me asleep," he murmured, with the faintest show of

humiliation

"Yes--IF you were asleep, and did not deceive lass, but as they were closed when I

looked round upon you, I thought you were perhaps deceiving me

"Never," said Fitzpiers, fervently--"never could I deceive you"

Foreknowledge to the distance of a year or so in either of theht

have spoiled the effect of that pretty speech Never deceive her! But

they knew nothing, and the phrase had its day

Grace began now to be anxious to ter power of Fitzpiers's atmosphere still held her there She

was like an inexperienced actress who, having at last taken up her

position on the boards, and spoken her speeches, does not kno to

o at once