“Yes, it was a great lady, a very great lady who gave me the ring,” he said most seriously.

“And was I right in my other divination?” she asked, looking down and flushing slightly.  “Did—­did she wish to marry you?  But you need not answer that question.”

“I will gladly answer it,” returned Max, leaning forward, resting his elbow on his knees and looking at the ground between his feet.  “I hoped she did.  I—­I longed for it.”

“Perhaps she possessed vast estates?” asked the girl, a slight frown gathering on her brow.

“Yes, she possessed vast estates,” said Max, “but I would gladly have taken her penniless save for the fact that I am very poor, and that she would suffer for the lack of luxuries she has always known.”

“But how could the lady have felt sure you were not seeking her for the sake of her estates?” asked Yolanda.

“She could not know,” answered Max.  “But I sought her for her own sake and for no other reason.”

“What manner of person was she?” asked Yolanda.  “Was she dark or light, short or tall, plain of feature or beautiful, amiable of temper or vixenish?  Was she like any one you have ever seen?”

She spoke in deep earnest and looked eagerly up to his face.

“She was beautiful of feature,” answered Max.  “Her eyes and her hair were dark as yours are.  She was short of stature, I have been told.”

Yolanda laughed merrily:  “I declare, Sir Max, you were in love with a lady you had never seen.  It was her estate you loved.”

“No, no,” said Max, earnestly.  “I ardently desired—­”

“Perhaps if you were to see her, your enthusiasm would vanish,” said Yolanda, interrupting him almost sharply.  “My magic tells me she is a squat little creature, with a wizened face; her eyes are sharp and black, and her nose is a-peak, not unlike mine.  That, she is sour and peevish of temper, as I am, there can be no doubt.  And, although she be great and rich as the Princess of Burgundy, I warrant you she is not one whit handsomer nor kinder in disposition than I.”

Max started on hearing Mary of Burgundy’s name, but quickly recovering himself said:—­

“I would not wish her better than you in any respect.  You wrong both yourself and the lady to speak as you do.  Those who know her say the lady has not her like in all the world.”

A soft light came to Yolanda’s face as he spoke, and she answered slowly:—­

“Doubtless the lady had like news of you, and is curious to know what manner of man you are.  She too may have dreamed of an ideal.”

“How do you know she has never seen me?” asked Max, who had not fully caught her reply when she spoke of the fact that he had never seen the lady of the ring.  “I shall surely come to believe you are a sorceress.”

“No, I am not,” she answered emphatically.  “You shall carry that jest no further.  A moment since you said those who know her say so and so, and you believed she was short of stature.  Had you ever seen the lady, you would know if she were tall or short.  You would not be in doubt upon so important a matter as the stature of your lady-love.”