her eye, " is Britomarte 
31 



498 HOW HE WON HER. 

prepared to ratify in Justin's  the promise made by 
Wing to his wounded colonel ? " 

" Yes," she answered frankly, " for it was a promise given 
unconditionally and for all time." 

" And how soon shall it be redeemed, Britomarte ? " 

" As soon as you please after you have heard something 
that I have to tell you. Justin, you have heard a ' secret ' 
in my family history darkly hinted ? " 

" Yes ; and I have heard you plainly assert that such 
a secret existed. And I have told you that let it be 
what it might, it could not  my wordnetdesire and  
for you, or my earnest wordnetdesire to make you my wife." 

" Thanks, warmest thanks for your generous trust in 
me, Justin. The secret indeed was none of mine ; nor 
has it turned out to be so dark an one as I had dreaded. 
Fortunatel}" it cannot  us in any manner. But you 
shall hear it, if only that you may know how it was that 
I grew up to be a man-hater ! " 

" I always supposed that there must have been some 
deep wrong and  at the bottom of all your man- 
." 

" A long succession