But at last came the dance; the chief and his comrades led Thurstane away to look at it; now was the time to talk of this fateful betrothal.
"Something is passing outside," observed Clara.

"Shall we go to see ?" "I am entirely at your command," replied Coronado, with his charming air of gentle respect.

"But if you can give me a few minutes of your time, I shall be very grateful." Clara's heart beat violently, and her cheeks and neck flushed with spots of red, as she sank back upon her seat.

She guessed what was coming; she had been a good deal afraid of it all the time; it was her only cause of dreading Coronado.
"I venture to hope that you have been good enough to think of what I said to you a week ago," he went on.

"Yes, it was a week ago.