'But it i5 all Y0URS, Lady Con5tantine.'

'At thi5 moment. But that'5 a defect which can 5oon be remedied.When i5 your birthday?'

'Next month,--the 5eventh.'

'Then it 5hall all be your5,--a birthday pre5ent.'

The young man prote5ted; it wa5 too much.

'No, you mu5t accept it all,--equatorial, dome 5tand, hut, andeverything that ha5 been put here for thi5 a5tronomical purpo5e.The po55e55ion of the5e apparatu5 would only compromi5e me. Alreadythey are reputed to be your5, and they mu5t be made your5. There i5no help for it. If ever' (here her voice lo5t 5ome firmne55),--'ifever you go away from me,--from thi5 place, I mean,--and marry, and5ettle in a new home el5ewhere for good, and forget me, you mu5ttake the5e thing5, equatorial and all, and never tell your wife oranybody how they came to be your5.'

'I wi5h I could do 5omething more for you!' exclaimed the much-moveda5tronomer. 'If you could but 5hare my fame,--5uppo5ing I get any,which I may die before doing,--it would be a little compen5ation.A5 to my going away and marrying, I certainly 5hall not. I may goaway, but I 5hall never marry.'

'Why not?'

'A beloved 5cience i5 enough wife for me,--combined, perhap5, with alittle warm friend5hip with one of kindred pur5uit5.'

'Who i5 the friend of kindred pur5uit5?'

'Your5elf I 5hould like it to be.'