, 1884-12-21


I rose without a word. The room seemed
whirling around me. The only thing which
was clear to my sight was that cursed gold
band on the fair white hand-tbat symbol OF
possession by anotherl In that moment hope
and all tho sweetness of life seemed swept
away from me.
Something in my face must have told her
how her news affected me. She came to
me and laid her hand upon my arm l
trembled like a leaf beneath her touch.
She looked beseechingly into my face
"Oh, not like thatF' she cried Basil, l
am not worth it. should not have made
you happy. You will forget-you will find
another. II l nave wronged or misled you.
say you forgive me Let mo hear you, my
true friend. wish me happiness"
l strove to force my dry lips to frame
some conventional phrase. In vainl words
would not come. sank into a chair and
covered my face with my hands
The door opened suddenly and a man en-
tered He may nave been about forty years
of age. He was tall and remarkably hand
some. He was dressed with scrupulous
care; but there was something written on
his facs which told me 1t was not the face
OF a good man. Is | rose from my chair he
glanced from me to Philippa with an air OF
suspicious inquiry.
"Dr. North, an old friend OF my mothers
and mine, " she said, with composure. ''Mr.
Farmer she added; and a rosy blush crept
round her neck "a she indicated the new
conner by the name which / felt sure was
now also her own.
l bowed mechanically. Imade a few dis
jointed remarks about the weather and kin
bred topics; then l shook hands with
Philippa and left the house, the most miser-
able man in England.
phflf0-. ...~-to1 o,A ...~-fnI ..o-.eIul
How could her pride nave stopped TO n clan
destine unioni What manner OF man was
he who had won herr Heavensl he mt be
hard to please IL he cared not to show his
conquest to the light OF day. Curl sneak
cowardi villain! Stay; he may have his
own reasons for concealment-reasons known
to Philippe and approved OF by her. Not a
word against her. She is still my queen
the one woman in the world to me. What
she has done is right
l passed a sleepless night. In the morning
l ' wrote to Philippa. l wished her all happi-
ness-I could command my pen, IL not my
tongue. l said no word about the secrecy
OF the wedding, or the evils SO often conss-
quent to such conosalment. But, with a fore
boding OF evil to come, begged her to remem-
Der that We were friends; that, although
l could see her no more, whenever she
wanted n friends aid, a word would bring
me to her side. 1 used no word OF blame,
l risked no expression OF love or regret. Nc
thought Of my grief should jar upon the
happiness which she doubtless expected to
find. Farewell to the one dream of my life
Farewell, Philippal
Such a passion as mine may, in these
ma~tter-of-fact, unromantic days, seem an
anachronism. No matter whether to sym
patty or ridicule, 1 Am but laying bare my
true thoughts and feelings.
1 would not return to my home at once
/ shrank from going back to my lonely
hearth and beginning to eat my heart out.
l had made arrangements to stay in town
for some days, so l stayed, trying by a
course of what is termed gayety to drive
remembrance away. Futile effortl Row
many have tried tho same rsputed remeiy
.Nfl,s.e 0,,a0