were not as perfect as she would have liked. There were so many more important persons to be provided with flowers.
But while she was dressing, a special messenger arrived with a box. Peter, the Kanaka, brought it to Elsie's room. The messenger had said that he must take back an assurance that Miss Valliant had received it, and so Mrs. Valliant went to the door. The messenger was a suave gentlemanly person—Lord Astar's servant, and he had come from Government House.
The box contained another bouquet, wired as if it were straight from Covent Garden, and tied with pale pink streamers. It was composed entirely of the most exquisite La France and Maréchal Niel roses, and was in a silver holder. At the bottom of the box lay a little packet and a note. When Elsie opened the packet she gave a cry of surprise and delight. The light flashed from a star of pearls and diamonds. It was the temptation of Marguerite, and Elsie, notwithstanding her many Leichardt's Town seasons, her numerous flirtations, and her daring unconventionality, was in truth as innocently ignorant of evil intent to herself in the mind of man as was Marguerite when she opened Mephistopheles' casket. Elsie's lovers had always been chivalrous. The note was only a few lines:—
"If you will honour me by wearing the accompanying little trinket this evening, I shall interpret it as a sign that you accept my love, and that I may hope for the fulfilment of my most ardent wish. Devotedly yours,Astar."
Elsie drew a deep long breath. It was almost like a sigh of pain, but it was not pain or dismay or indignation which brought it forth. To her the note had but one meaning. It had never entered her mind that a man could approach a woman with words of love meaning anything but the one thing, marriage. Of course he wished to marry her. It was very strange, very sudden. That was all. To-night she must make up her mind whether or not she would accept this brilliant destiny, nay, she must decide now, this very moment, since her destiny depended upon the clasping round her neck of the jewel Lord Astar had sent her.
