The fresh discomfiture made poor Louis feel utterly dejected and
almost hopeless, but lest silence should seem to consent, he said,
'When you see Mary, you will be willing for me to do anything rather
than lose what is so dear and so noble.'

'Yes, I will see Mary. We will settle it between us, and have it
right yet; but we must give her to-day to think it over, and get over
the first shock. When she has had a little time for reflection, a
few cool arguments from me will bring her to reason.'

So it was all to be settled over Louis's passive head; and thus
satisfied, his father, who was exceedingly sorry for him, forgot his
anger, and offered to go home alone as Clara's escort, promising to
return on the Monday, to bring the full force of his remonstrances to
bear down Mary's scruples.

Lord Ormersfield believed Clara too much of a child to have any ideas
on what was passing; and had it depended on him, she must have gone
home in an agony of ignorance on the cause of her cousin's trouble,
but Louis came with them to the station, and contrived to say to her
while walking up and down the platform, 'Her father is bitter against
me. He has sent for her, and she is going!'

Clara looked mutely in his face, with a sort of inquiring dismay.

'You'll hear all about it when my father has told Aunt Kitty,' said
Louis. 'Clara,'--he paused, and spoke lower--'tell her I see what is
right now; tell her to--to pray for me, that I may not be talked into
tampering with my conscience or with hers. Don't let it dwell on you