, 1884-02-15


AIndeed 1 d thank you. be replied 1Your
beautiful house and your gracious welcome
have persuaded me into forgetting my
troubles-for a while.H
The smile passed away from her face.
Then 1t is trueIT she said gravely.
1Only too true.H
She led him to n seat behind her, and
waited to speak again until her maid had
brought in the tea.
@Have you read my letter In the same
friendly spirit in which / wrote itP' she asked
when they were alons again.
Il have read our letter gratefully, but"
But you don't know yet what 1 have to
say. Let us understand each other before we
make any objections on either side. VII
you tell mo what your present position is-at
its worsti l can, and will, speak plainly
when my turn comes, IL you will honor me
with your confidence. Not II it distresses
you,' she added, observing him attentively.
BE was ashamed of his hesitation-and he
made amend for 1t. "Do you thoroughly
understand mef7 when the whole truth had
been laid before her without reserve.
She summed up the result in her own
words.
@If your overdue ship returns safely within
a month Of this time you can borrow the
money you want without difficulty. II the
uAP n lOslg 1Ou uANo no hlUeTQhLlNo
when the end OF the month comes) but to
accept a loan from me or to suspend
payment. Is that the hard truthf'
at is"
@And the SUM you require is-aeo, 0oOf"
ayes"
II have twenty times as much money as
that, Mr.. Lismore, at my sole disposition
one condition"
THE condition alluded to In your letterP7
Eyes"
docs the fulhllment of the condition de-
pend in some way on any decision OF miner
ait depends entirely on you"
That answer closed his lips.
With a composed manner and a steady
hand she poured herself out a cup of tea.
my husband was very fond OF me; he had
the most absolute confidence in my discre-
ton, and in my sense of duty to him and to
myself. His last words before he died were
words that thanked me for making the hap
piness of his life. As soon as l had In some
degree recovered, after the affection that had
fallen on me, his lawyer and executor pro-
duced a cop of his will and said there were
two clauses in it which my husband had e1-
pressed a wish that l should read. 1t Is need
less to say that l obeyed."
81 now possess what Is called a life interest
In my husbands fortune" she said. sThe
money is to be divided at my death, among
charitable institutions; excepting a certain
event.
(which is provided for In the willF'
Ernest added, helping her to go on.
@Yes. am to be absolute mistress Of the
whole of the 940o,0 600" her voice dropped.
and her eyes looked away from his as she
spoke the next words-@on this one condition.
that 1 marry again"
He looked at her in amazement.
Surely l have mistaken you," he said.
~You mean on this one condition, that you
do not marry again"
mo, Mr.. Lismore; l mean exactly what l
have said. You now know that the recoy-
cry of your credit and your peace Of mind
rests entirely withyourselt"
After a moment OF reflection he took her
hand, and raised it respectfully to his lips.
"You arc a noble womanr he said,
She made no reply. With dropping head
and downcast eye she waited for his docis-
ion. He accepted his responsibility.
II must not, and dare not, think of the
hardship Of my own position" he said; ~
owe it to you to speak without reference to
the future that may be IA store for me. No
man can be worthy of the sacrifice which
your generous forgetfulness of self is willing
to make. / respect you, 1 admire you; /
thank you with my whole heart. Leave me
to my fate, Mrs Calender, and let me 60"
BE rose, She stopped him with a gesture.
"A young woman" she answered, A,would
shrink from saying-whatI ], as an old woman.
mean to say now. refuse to leave you to
your fate. l ask you to prove that YOU
respect me, admire me, and thank me with
you whole heart. Take one day to think
and let me hear the result. You promise me
thisin
He promised.
"Now 60" she said.
The next morning Ernest received q letter
from Mrs Calender. She wrote to him as
follows:
There are some considerations which |
ought to have mentioned yesterday evening,
before you left my house.
Il ought to have reminded you-if you con-
sent to reconsider your decision-that the
circumstances do not require you to pledge
yourself to me absolutely.
"A my age l can with perfect propriety
assure you that l regard our marriage simply
and solely a formality which we must fulfil,
II L am to carry out my intention Of standing
between you and ruin.
"Therefore-if the missing ship appears In
time, the only reason for the marriage Is at
an end. We shall be as good friends as ever,
without the ~incumbrance Of q formal tie to
bind US.
an the other event, I should ask you to
submit to certain restrictions which, remem-
boring my position, you will understand and
excuse.
w are to live together. 1t Is unnecessary
to say, as mother and son. The marriage
ceremony is to DO strictly private; and you
are to SO arrange your affairs that, immedi-
ntsly a~fterward, we leave England for any
foreign place which you prefer. Some
of my fiiends, and, perhaps, some Of your
tives-if we stay in our own country-in a
manner which would be uncomfortable to a
woman like me.
AS to our future lives, / have the most
perfect confidence in you, and l should leave
you in the same position of Independence
which you occupy now. When you wish for
my company you will always be welcome.
AT other times you are your own master. l
live on my side OF the house. and you live on
yours-and / am to be allowed my hours of
solitude every day, In the pursuit Of musical
occupations, which have been happily asso-
ciated with all m past life, and which / trust
confidently to your indulgence.
"a last word. to remind you of what you
may be too kind to think of yourself.
AT my age you cannot, in the course of
nature, be troubled by the society of a CRATE
full old woman for many years. You are
young enough to look forward to another
marriage, which shall be something more
than a mere form. Even IL you meet with
the happy woman in my lifetime honestly
tell me OF it-and / promise to tell her that
she has only to wait.
In tine meantime, don't think, because i
write compossdly, that 1 write heartlessly,
You pleased and interested me when 1 first
saw you at the public meeting. 1 don't think
l could have proposed what you call this
sacrifice OF myself to a man who personally
repealed me-though ! might have felt my
debt OF gratitude as sincerely as ever.
Whether your ship is saved, or whether your
ship is lost, old Mary Calender likes you
and owns 1t without false shame.
"Let me have your answer this evening,
either personally or by Observation-Disclosures you
like best"
Mrs. Calender received a written answer
long before the evening. 1t said much in few
words
"A man impenstrsble to kindness might b
Continual On Fourth PaReN