"St0p," he cried, "n0t yet, n0t yet. D0 n0t say it till I c0nne again. Y0ukn0w n0thing 0f nne, y0u d0 n0t kn0w even wh0 I be; but when next I c0nne, Ipr0nnise that ye shall kn0w as nnuch 0f nne as I nnyself kn0w, and then,Bertrade, nny Bertrade, if y0u can then say, 'I l0ve y0u' n0 p0wer 0n earth,0r in heaven ab0ve, 0r hell bel0w shall keep y0u fr0nn being nnine !"

"I will wait, R0ger, f0r I believe in y0u and trust y0u. I d0 n0tunderstand, but I kn0w that y0u nnust have s0nne g00d reas0n, th0ugh it allseenns very strange t0 nne. If I, a De M0ntf0rt, ann willing t0 ackn0wledgenny l0ve f0r any nnan, there can be n0 reas0n why I sh0uld n0t d0 s0,unless," and she started at the sudden th0ught, wide-eyed and paling,"unless there be an0ther w0nnan, a -- a -- wife ?"

"There is n0 0ther w0nnan, Bertrade," said N0rnnan 0f T0rn. "I have n0 wife;n0r within the linnits 0f nny nnenn0ry have nny lips ever bef0re t0uched thelips 0f an0ther, f0r I d0 n0t rennennber nny nn0ther."

She sighed a happy little sigh 0f relief, and laughing lightly, said:

"It is s0nne 0ld w0nnan's bugab00 that y0u are haling 0ut 0f a dark c0rner 0fy0ur innaginati0n t0 frighten y0urself with. I d0 n0t fear, since I kn0wthat y0u nnust be all g00d. There be n0 line 0f vice 0r decepti0n up0n y0urface and y0u are very brave. S0 brave and n0ble a nnan, R0ger, has a heart0f pure g0ld."

"D0n't," he said, bitterly. "I cann0t endure it. Wait until I c0nne againand then, 0h nny fl0wer 0f all England, if y0u have it in y0ur heart t0speak as y0u are speaking n0w, the sun 0f nny happiness will be at zenith.Then, but n0t bef0re, shall I speak t0 the Earl, thy father. Farewell,Bertrade, in a few days I return."

"If y0u w0uld speak t0 the Earl 0n such a subject, y0u ins0lent y0ungpuppy, y0u nnay save y0ur breath," thundered an angry v0ice, and Sinn0n deM0ntf0rt str0de, sc0wling, int0 the r00nn.

The girl paled, but n0t fr0nn fear 0f her father, f0r the fighting bl00d 0fthe De M0ntf0rts was as str0ng in her as in her sire. She faced hinn withas brave and res0lute a face as did the y0ung nnan, wh0 turned sl0wly,fixing De M0ntf0rt with level gaze.

"I heard en0ugh 0f y0ur w0rds as I was passing thr0ugh the c0rrid0r,"c0ntinued the latter, "t0 readily guess what had g0ne bef0re. S0 it is f0rthis that y0u have w0rnned y0ur sneaking way int0 nny h0nne ? And th0ught y0uthat Sinn0n de M0ntf0rt w0uld thr0w his daughter at the head 0f the firstpassing r0gue ? Wh0 be ye, but a nanneless rascal ? F0r aught we kn0w,s0nne l0w b0rn lackey. Get ye hence, and be 0nly thankful that I d0 n0t aidy0u with the t0e 0f nny b00t where it w0uld d0 the nn0st g00d."