“Come, come,” the cornered uncle growled, bridling, but a smile grew in his kindly eyes.

“There!” exclaimed Miss Rawson, triumphantly.  “You cannot have another thing to say, except that you consent and wish us happiness.”

“It is true you are of age, Stella,” Canon Ebley allowed, “and if you like to take the law into your own hands, we cannot legally prevent you, as I have tried to explain this morning to your aunt and Eustace, but it is all very shocking and unusual, and very disturbing.  You must remember, Count Roumovski is a foreigner, and we English people are prejudiced.  I—­fear for your happiness, my dear child!”

“You do not pay me a high compliment, sir,” Count Roumovski said, but without resentment.  “Time, however, will prove whether I can take care of your niece or no.  Do you feel any fear for yourself, Stella?”

“Not in the least,” Miss Rawson said, and they clasped fond hands.  “I would go away with you, Sasha, to the ends of the earth now at once, and never ask you a single question.  And I should certainly die if I were forced to go back to Eustace Medlicott.”

“Then I suppose there is nothing more to be said,” Canon Ebley stammered, upon which Stella again flung herself into his arms.

“Indeed, sir—­I give you my word that you will not regret this decision,” Count Roumovski said gravely.  “I believe your niece and I were made for one another.”

“We will hope so,” returned Canon Ebley, who could no longer keep up a stern resistance in the face of perfectly logical arguments and a witch of a girl purring over him and patting his cheek.  He would have given in with a fair grace but for the awful knowledge that his stern spouse and the irate late fiance would arrive at any moment, and reproach him for his want of strength.

At this juncture of the affair, Princess Urazov came forward, and said with a gracious smile: 

“Now I think you and I should agree with each other, sir; I had just as great cause for surprise as you had at the news of my brother’s engagement to your niece, but I know and love him so well that I did not question the wisdom of his choice.  And as you know and love your niece, can we not agree to try and make them happy together by giving them our blessing?  After all, it is no crime for two young people to love each other!” and she put out her hands, which Canon Ebley, who was, after all, longing for peace, was obliged to take.  Then with a charm and dignity that he was forced to admire, she drew him to the pair and placed his hand on their clasped hands, and her own over it.

“See,” she said, “Sasha and Stella, we both wish you all happiness and joy—­is it not so?”

And Canon Ebley was constrained to murmur, “Yes.”

At this instant the door was opened violently, and the Aunt Caroline followed by the Reverend Eustace Medlicott burst into the room, brushing aside the frightened waiter, who would have prevented them; then they stopped dead short, petrified with astonishment, and before she could prevent herself, Stella had pealed a silvery laugh, while she rushed forward and affectionately kissed her aunt.