Lord C-, releasing Mary, sprang back, looking
like a guilty school-boy.
"I thought I heard Miss Sewell go out," said her ladyship in the
icy tones that had never lost their power of making her son's heart
freeze within him. "I want to see you when you are free."
"I shan't be long," stammered his lordship. "Mary--Miss Sewell is
just going."
Mary waited without moving until the countess had left and closed
the door behind her. Then she turned to her lover and spoke in
quick, low tones.
"Give me her address--the girl they want you to marry!"
"What are you going to do?" asked his lordship.
"I don't know," answered the girl, "but I'm going to see her."
She scribbled the name down, and then said, looking the boy
squarely in the face:
"Tell me frankly, Jack, do you want to marry me, or do you not?"
"You know I do, Mary," he answered, and his eyes spoke stronger
than his words. "If I weren't a silly ass, there would be none of
this trouble. But I don't know how it is; I say to myself I'll do,
a thing, but the mater talks and talks and--"
"I know," interrupted Mary with a smile. "Don't argue with her,
fall in with all her views, and pretend to agree with her.
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