Page:Marsh--The seen and the unseen.djvu/339

Rh "Then a little bird just lies ! Polly's as deep as they make 'em; she's not to be caught with chaff; she knows what it means to be Duchess of Staines—trust her! She don't mean to get lost for nothing! Carry on to any amount she will; but just so far, and not a small bit farther. I've had detectives on her track for the last six months, watching her night and day, but they tell me it's no good up to now."

Still another pause. The young lady without could hear the Duke pacing up and down the room. "But I'll corner her at last; see if I don't Then I'll marry Edith—if she'll have me. Upon my word, I ain't so sure that she will—I never saw such a oner. She treats me as though I was a dirty bagman. I'll give her anything—anything! I'll make her the greatest lady in England! I'll settle on her twenty thousand pounds a year! Twenty thousand! I'll settle on her anything she likes!"

While the distinguished nobleman within gave free rein to his chivalrous sentiments, the young lady without pressed the precious letter closer to her bosom. Her mother spoke—^softly, almost purringly.

"You see, your Grace places me in rather a difficult position. Having declared your affection for my daughter, it is necessary that I should protect her by every means in my power. Would your Grace object to giving me some sort of memorandum which would embody, in some form, the sentiments which you have just now uttered, and which do you so much honour?"

"I mean business, I tell you straight Come along to my room, and I'll give you a written promise of marriage right off the reel, hanged if I won't!"