And Mrs. Willis sighed, and pitied her, but was glad that she should be off her poor brother’s mind as soon as might be, and was glad to resign her task of chaperoning her.

Only three persons beyond the Consul’s family knew what was about to happen, when Miss Ponsonby, in her deep mourning, attended the morning service in the large hall at the Consul-house; and such eyes as were directed towards the handsome stranger, only gazed at the unwonted spectacle of an English nobleman, not with the more eager curiosity that would have been attached to him had all been known.

Mr. Ward lingered a few moments, and begged for one word with Miss Ponsonby.  She could not but comply, and came to meet him, blushing, but composed, in that simple, frank kindness which only wished to soften the disappointment.

‘Mary,’ he said, ’I am not come to harass you.  I have done so long enough, and I would not have tormented you, but on that one head I did not do justice to your judgment.  I see now how vain my hope was.  I am glad to have met him—­I am glad to know how worthy of you he is, and to have seen you in such hands.’

‘You are very kind to speak so,’ said Mary.

’Yes, Mary, I could not have borne to part with you, if I were not convinced that he is a good man as well as an able man.  I might have known that you would not choose otherwise.  I shall see your name among the great ladies of the land.  I came to say something else.  I wished to thank you for the many happy hours I have spent with you, though you never for a moment trifled with me.  It was I who deceived myself.  Good-bye, Mary.  Perhaps you will write to my sister, and let her know of your arrival.’

‘I will write to you, if you please,’ said Mary.

‘It will be a great pleasure,’ he said, earnestly.  ’And will you let me be of any use in my power to you and Lord Fitzjocelyn?’

’Indeed, we shall be most grateful.  You have been a most kind and forbearing friend.  I should like to know that you were happy,’ said Mary, lingering, and hardly knowing what to say.

’My little nieces are fond enough of their uncle.  My sister wants me.  In short, you need not vex yourself about me.  Some day, when I am an old man, I may come and bring you news of Lima.  Meanwhile, you will sometimes wear this bracelet, and remember that you have an old friend.  I shall call on Lord Fitzjocelyn at the office to-morrow, and see if we can find any clue to Robson’s retreat.  Good-bye, and blessings on you, Mary.’

Mary rejoined Louis, to speak to him of the kind and noble man who so generously and resolutely bore the wreck of his hopes.  They walked up and down together in the cool shade of the trees in the Consul’s garden, and they spoke of the unselfishness which seemed to take away the smart from the wound of disappointment.  They spoke sometimes, but the day was for the most part spent in the sweetness of pensive, happy silence, musing with full hearts over this crowning of their long deferred hopes, and not without prayer that the same protecting Hand might guide them, as they should walk together through life.