"I am all attention Miss Lucy, only I hope you don't object to my cigar."

 

"Not at all, it will make you more patient perhaps."

 

"Shouldn't wonder, as I'm afraid from your preamble it is nothing I care to hear."

 

"Everard!" then with a shrug. "Of course you don't."

 

Everard laughed. "You stupid fellow, won't you be quiet and hear what I have to say."

 

"Oh certainly."

 

"I wish to remind you, that you need not go goodness knows how many hundred miles to find people to convert, as there are plenty nearer home."

 

"No doubt, and also, others near home anxious to convert them."

 

"And do you think, that no one but yourself would go to that outlandish place."

 

"Very few, comparatively; of course there are some."

 

"Mighty few I expect."

 

"Then you see an additional reason, why I should."

 

"I have not seen any yet, so of course cant't see additional ones" she answered saucily. "I tell you what you had better do, stay and convert me, and that will take you a precious long time I promise you."

 

"Lucy!"

 

"Oh, how grave you are, I wish you could see your face."

 

"You forget what you are talking about, Lucy, or you would not speak so" he said gravely, "I cannot believe that you are in earnest."

 

"Of course I don't mean half I say, I never do, I did not think you would take it so seriously."

 

"It is a bad way to get into, Lucy."

 

"Don't be alarmed" cried Lucy laughing, "I'm not so awfully wicked as you imagine. I know, that I am very wild, and thoughtless, and that that school did not do me any good, but for all that, I'm not quite a heathen."

 

"Be merry and wise," he said kindly but gravely."

 

"That is not so easy" returned Lucy with a gulp, "you may think so, you are so mild tempered; but with one, so impulsive, and high spirited as I am, it is very hard, almost impossible; that's always the way with you quiet, easy going people, you have no sympathy with us."

 

"Oh, Lucy, how apt we are to form wrong opinions, you think me quiet, easy, gentle, I may be so, but I am also passionate, determined, and you say selfish; be that as it may, I cannot give up without a very hard struggle, not even then usually. I am unyielding. Persevering and firm, Emily would say, self-willed and obstinate, Grace would call me."

 

"I can't believe you."

 

"It is true."

 

"But to resume our discussion; it is really too provoking to take Isabel off to that outlandish place."

 

"It is settled, all the talking in the world can't make any difference," he said with the quiet smile, and languid manner, that made it so hard to believe that he was indeed what he had described.

 

In the evening Susan brought a note to Isabel, as she and Everard were walking on the terrace. Isabel turned deadly pale on observing the handwriting, "it is from Dr. Tachereau" she exclaimed.

 

"Let me open it" said Everard seeing her agitation.

 

"A poisoned letter perhaps."

 

"Oh Everard, such things only happen in story books, but if you really think so, it had better go at the back of the fire."

 

"The fire is the right place for it no doubt, but I have a curiosity to see the inside first, some impertinence you may be sure."

 

"Perhaps to inform us, that he will bring his pistols to the church, if we dare to venture there, said Isabel breaking the seal. She opened it, but a ............