to hear her voice, to touch her hand occasionally, to ride with her;
in fact, always to be within the magic circle of her presence? Well,
I love this girl; I know it now, it is positive, doubtless. Her
presence is as necessary to me as the air I breathe. Had I met her in
the conventional way, she would have looked upon me as one of the
pillars of convention, and mildly ignored me. As I am, she does not
know what I am, or who I am; I am a mystery, I represent a secret,
and she desires to find out what this secret is. Besides all this,
something impels me to act this part, something aside from love. It
is inexplicable; fate, maybe." He paused, went to the window, and
looked down into the street. It was after-theater time and carriages
were rolling to and fro.

"Bob, I apologize. You know a great deal more about feminine nature
than I had given you credit for. But how can you win her this way?"

He raised his shoulders. "Time and chance."

"Well, whate'er betide, I can't help wishing you luck."

We shook hands silently, and then I left him.

"Father," said Betty Annesley at the dinnertable that same night, "I
have engaged a new groom. He rode Pirate to-day and thoroughly
mastered him."

"Pirate? You don't say! Well, I'm glad of that. Pirate will make a
capital saddle-horse if he is ridden often enough. The groom will be
a safe companion for you on your rides. Are you too tired to do some
drawing for me to-night?"