Year: 1860



 other family matters, silence fell. l felt afraid of what might come next, for Ken elm's eyes watched me earnestly.

 "Minnie, my wife, it is you who want change now," he said presently. "You look i'll, and you must be very weak to have been so much disturbed as you were yesterday, merely by my sudden arrival. Would you like to go home for little while 2"

 "Oh Kenelm, so much P I know that my face kindled brightly for indeed long ed after them all, and thought that it would be delicious rest to be at home with him.

 "Poor child thought you would like it. So you have pined for home, Minnie ?"

 "You shall not say that. This is my home. will not go to my fathers if you say such things"

 "Well /! we'll do not believe I reproach you, darling we will part in peace" "Part ?"

 "I think it will be as we'll that you should go soon for few weeks must work very hard, and shall be even duller company than eyer."

 "Do you think I will go home alone? /? Oh, Kenelm what does this mean ?"

 "That is what I cannot tell" he said. But know that you are neither well nor happy know that our poverty has press ed it's priyations upon you I know that you pine in your dull life here"

 "What more do you know ?" asked de- fantly.

 He answered with mild, eventoned voice, but absolutely hurting me by the urgent pressure of his gaze. II know that in some sad way-by my own fault it may bel have lost my wife's confidence also know that this is not one of the things will learn to do without"

 "What more, sir p demanded hotly.

 "This is all. When you are at home, Minnie, and I am alone again for little while, we may each be able to find out in what, and how far, we have erred, and then be able to begin our married life afresh"

 He spoke as if such serious danger i'm pended, as if such utter ruin threatened our peace, that sLuddereG but he spoke, too, as if he forgot all the happy, happy months when had been devoted and contented wife, and only remembered the last few weeks-this made me angry it was unjust 1! he was exaggerating everything

 II will not go home unless you command me and am your wife, whom you have no right to send away; you are craal and nn- just P

 |" Am so? We were not talking Of ghts; Was planning for your happiness ut indeed work in the dark. do pot { ,e why you should call me cruel and unjust. gain repeat, do not stoop to suspect { GU of wrong your having secret from me, nd the obstinacy with which you keep it, is " only ground of displeasure. It may be ( nat my own character is alone to blame , nat am too stern but have hoped that " wife loved me too we'll to fear me-" (

 "She does! Oh, Kenelm, she does ?" l [ prang after him as he turned sadly away. 'ut then my looks belied my words the ( ey of the Blue-beard chamber fell from my ress, and l stopped, the picture of guilty 

 He picked it up. "Th1 is not the first inc you have let it fall, he said, as he gave me.

 Then he knew that my last nights sleep ad been feigned. It hardened my heart to hink how deceitful he must believe me to e, and to remember the innocent, holy mo- i've of all this long concealmeut.

 Kenelm went to his study, as imagined, hutting himself in there for the morning.

 I felt utterly reckless. Unknown to my elf, desire for revenge was beg inning to nngle with the other motives that determln- d me to pcrsevere to the end. l thought hat the lower now sank in my husbands steem the higher should I rise by-and-by ghen he knew all, when my hour of triumph anne.

 Once more I locked myself into the empty oom packed up my manuscript, address d it to my friend, and wrote note to ac- company it, passiona.ely entreating her to ct me hear soon-to do everything quickly. Then put on my bonnet and shawl, hid my precious roll under my arm, and set oil for he post-ofice.

 As I walked hurriedly along beneath the ines in our lane, and then through suburb m streets, my thoughts were quite engrossed n planning for the disposal of the fairy for une my book was to bring me. Suddenly swcrved aside and turned sharp corner Il another moment l should have met my whom had believed to be safe at lome. Had he seen me? thought not. had disappeared before the abstraction of 1is look had cleared to recognition.

 I made little circuit, accomplished my purpose, and turned homcward.

 My heart sank when saw my husband pacing up and down beneath the Hines. He had seen me then, and was now waiting for me- The Hines were in full blossom ; their scent now always takes me back to that af ternoon.

 When met Kepelm's eyes, and noted the pinchcd expression which represscd excite ment had given to lip and nostril, braced myself up for my last and worst ideal.

 He did not speak. He locked my hand under his arm, taking me into custody. He led me into the house, seated me in chair in his study, then released my hand, and stood opposite to me. noticed that the hand he leant upon the table quivered. I was sorry feared Le would do himself harm; but when I raised my eyes to his, his air of judicial sternness had strange effect upon my nerves. laughed uncortrolIably Just think how that laugh must have broken upon his highly wrought excitement and grievous distress

 fancy that any man less noble than my husband would have struck me. There was intense pain and anger in his eyes-still l laughed my insulting, unnatural laugh. He left me. 1 chose to believe that he had