Say Leoline!" "A thousand thanks, dear Leoline!" exclaimed Sir Norman, raising her hand to his lips, and quite beside himself with ecstasy.
"Ah, I did not tell you to say that!" she cried, with a gay laugh and vivid blush.

"I never said you were to call me dear." "It arose from my heart to my lips," said Sir Norman, with thrilling earnestness and fervid glance; "for you are dear to me--dearer than all the world beside!" The flush grew a deeper glow on the lady's face; but, singular to relate, she did not look the least surprised or displeased; and the hand he had feloniously purloined lay passive and quite contented in his.
"Sir Norman Kingsley is pleased to jest," said the lady, in a subdued tone, and with her eyes fixed pertinaciously on her shining dress; "for he has never spoken to me before in his life!" "That has nothing to do with it, Leoline.

I love you as devotedly as if I had known you from your birthday; and, strange to say, I feel as if we had been friends for years instead of minutes.

I cannot realize at all that you are a stranger to me!" Leoline laughed: "Nor I; though, for that matter, you are not a stranger to me, Sir Norman!" "Am I not?
How is that!" "I have seen you go past so often, you know; and Prudence told me who you were; and so I need--I used--" hesitating and glowing to a degree before which her dress paled.
"Well, dearest," said Sir Norman, getting from the positive to the superlative at a jump, and diminishing the distance between them, "you need to--what ?" "To watch for you!" said Leoline, in a sly whisper.

"And so I have got to know you very well!" "My own darling! And, O Leoline! may I hope--dare I hope--that you do not altogether hate me ?" Leoline looked reflective; though her bleak eyes were sparkling under their sweeping lashes.
"Why, no," she said, demurely, "I don't know as I do.