Marble Hill press., 1893-09-21

/ II
their caretaker-suppose even that
had not been their mother, is wo.
man hidden to do all that. to make
herself useless, to sacrifice what she
can do as well as what she is?''
She stopped, words failing her, and
stood before him, wonderful, noble
figure. eloquent in every movement
and gesture, in the maturity and dig
nifty of her middle age; then suddenly
broke down altogether, and, hiding
her face, cried out:
"Who am !, to speak so? Not
young to be excused, not fool to be
forgiven; woman ashamed-and for
no end"
elf you are married." said the
vicar. sit is no shame to marry. It
may be inappropriate, unsuitable, it
may be even regretable; but it is not
wrong. Do not at least take a NOR
bid view"
She raised her dropping head and
turned round quickly upon him.
"What am l to do?" she said.
"What am I to dop"
The wears eyes stole, in spite of
himself, to the other side of the room.
The dark shadow there had not
moved; the man sat still with his head
bent between his hands. He gave no
evidence that he had heard word of
the discussion; he put forth no claim
except by his presence there.
"What can l say?" said Mr.. Ger
maine. Nothing but commonplace,
nothing but what l have already said.
Before everything it is your duty to
put things on right foundation; you
cannot go on like this. 1t must be
painful to do, but it is the only way. !"
"lt is seldom" she said, every sell
dom that you are so precise"
because" he said, firmly, "there
is no doubt on the subject. It is
clear as MONDAY; there is but one
thing to do"
Mrs. Blencarrow said nothing; she
stood with a still resistance in her
look-a woman whom nothing could
overcome, broken down by circum-
stances, by trouble, ready to grasp at
any expedient; yet unsubdued and un-
convinced that she could not struggle
against fate.
81 can say nothing else," the vicar
repeated, "for there is nothing else
to say; and perhaps you would prefer
that l should 60. l can be of no
comfort to you, for there is nothing
that can be done-not from my point
OF view. I can only urge this upon
you; can say nothing different"
Again Mrs. Blencarrow made no re-
ply. She stood so uear him that he
could see the heaving of strong pas
sion in all her frame, restrained bv
her power of self-command, vet be-
yond the power to control. Perhaps
she could not speak more; at least,
she did not. Mr.. Germaine sat be-
tween the two, both silent, absorbed
in this all-engrossing question, till he
could bear it no longer. He rose abb
ruptly to his feet.
"May God give you the power to
do right" he said; II can say no
more"
Mrs. Blencarrow followed him to
the door. She opened it for him, and
stood outside on the threshold in the
moonlight to see him go.
eat least" she said, "yeu will keep
my secret; l may trust you with that"
81 will say nothing, he said. sex
cept to yourself; but think of what |
have said."
think! If thinking would do any
good!''
She gave him her hand, in all the
veins OF which the blood was coursine
like a strong stream, and then she
closed the door behind him and locked
it. During all this time the man
within had never stirred. Would
he move? Would he speak? Or
could he speak and move? When she
went back