to adopt it; and that is, to take a stop which shall make the fulfilment
of this promise impossible."

"I understand you," she replied; "but that is equally out of the
question. Often and often have I thought over this matter, and with much
uneasiness; but I cannot relieve myself of the obligation imposed upon
me."

"O Aveline!" cried Sir Jocelyn. "If you allow yourself, by any fancied
scruples, to be forced into a marriage repugnant to your feelings, you
will condemn both yourself and me to misery."

"I know it--I feel it; and yet there is no escape," she cried, "Were I
to act on your suggestions, and fly from this threatened danger, or
remove it altogether by a marriage with you--were I to disobey my
father, I should never know a moment's peace."

There was a brief pause, interrupted only by her sobs. At length Sir
Jocelyn exclaimed quickly,

"Perhaps, we may be unnecessarily alarming ourselves, and this may only
be a trick of Sir Giles Mompesson. He may have heard of the promise you
have made to your father, and may try to frighten you. But whoever is
put forward must substantiate his claim."

As those words were uttered, there was a slight noise in the apartment,
and looking up, they beheld the dusky figure of Clement Lanyere, masked
and cloaked, as was his wont, standing beside them.

"You here?" cried Sir Jocelyn, in astonishment.