Year: 1878

my release from the Fort, to rest awhile be
fore starting on my journey South. From he1
I obtained q full account-quite full enough
at least, to satisfy me-of what transpired
here, at a time when I fondly believed all
was going on WE'LL" &c..


"She was not an impartial or unprejudicee
Witness" sneered Maurice. "Her own feel
iugs were considerably interested, inasmuch
as there happened to be, formerly, little
affaire du ceur betwixt US two, which l don'1
think she has quite gotten over yet"


"How dare you speak to me in that triHine
manner ?" asked the Colonel, with glance Of
fire. "But enough of this. 1t sickens me to
find how basely have been deceived; how en-
tirely have misunderstood your whole char
acter. Your unworthy betrayal of my con-


idence has been enough to sink you very 10"
IN my estimation. But your manifestation
now of total indifference, of the entire ab'
sence of any compunction for what you have
done, places you, if possible, on lower level
still" .....


II am much obliged to you for your good
opinion, and your candor in expressing it.
reioined Maurice. He rose from his seat as
he spoke, and walked toward the window.
Notwithstanding bis outward show of uncon'
Germ, fierce tumult was raging in his breast
Anger, disappointment, hatred, bafied hope
wild desire to annihilate anything and
everything that stood between him and the
object of his desires, combined to excite hin,
almost to fever heat And as he stood look
ing out into the gathering twilight, clenching
his hslds fercely to repress his agitation, and
drawing his breath quick and hard, so mad
denipg we're his sensations that if with one
blow he could have crushed out his kinsman's s
life, thus destroying, as he thought, the one
obstacle that stood in the way Of his winning
Mary for his own, he would have turned and
struck it then and there.


Colonel Dacre leaned back in his chair,
staring sloomily at the fire. He had thought
40 we'll of Maurice-had loved him as son
and the bitterness of his feelings arose almost
as much from wounded confidence, from grief
and disappointment at the return which his
misplaced affection had met with, as from
mere anger, though the latter emotion was
very strong. Had Maurice, even then, show
cd any token Of coutritiou-had he come for
ward and said, II have been led away by an
ungovernable impulse, which I regret; l
have injured you, but 1 crave your forgive
ness, and will err no more," he could not
have done otherwise than forgive him, and
would have made allowance, with his usual
for the hot headedness of youth,
and the greatness of the temptation which he
himself had unthiukingly placed in his way.
But the reckessness and hardihood with which
his reproaches were met prevented any such
on his part, and the just indignation
reused by such behavior predominated over
every other sentiment.


After considerable pause, during which
Maurice had, by severe struggle, succeeded
in so far mastering his excitement as to refrain
from the betraying it to view, the latter turn
ed around from the window, and in tone of
forced calmness, said


"Since you have now returned to resume
the responsibility of your own affairs, and
since my presence here is not only unnecessa-
ry, but unwelcome, there is no reason why l
should remain longer under your roof. 1t is
rather late tonight to set out; but at day
light tomorrow shall take my departure, if
that will suit you as we'll"


"You speak very lightly of taking your de-
returned his cousin, "as if it we're a
matter of little or no moment under what cir
cumstauces you thus leave my house. I
might, if go disposed, call you much more
strictly to account than have done, for your
dshonorable conduct; but past ties are not
quite cancelled, and the emembrance of them
makes me foolishly leuient. Before we part,
however, demand from you full account
of Miss Eustaces movements, and informa-
tion in regard to her present whereabouts, as l
desire to communicate with her at once"


"That is her address," said Maurice, tossing
q card towards him. Cali [ know of her
movements is that she went off to Virginia in
search of you, hearing some how or other that
you we're in one of the hospitals there, and
not finding you, went into sort of partner
ship with this Mrs. Stanley to superintend a
hospital or something of that kind. A very
independent style of proceeding, altogether,
as it appears"


Colonel Dacre took no notice of this re-
mark. He merely copied the address from
Maurice's card, on slip of paper, and then,
as if wishing to avoid farther conversation on
trying subject, rang the bell for lights.
Jeffrey answering the summons, the lamps
we're lit, the 6re was replenished, and supper
presently brought in. But though for forms
sake the two men sat down to table together,
the meal was only pretence; the Colonel
having but scanty appetite, and Maurice not
even touching morsel. 1t was dull enough
return home for the former, whose heart
yearned for the presence which had once cast
such a brightness over everything around
him. In his lonely hours of captivity and ill.,
ness, how often had he pictured to himself
the welcome which would greet him, should he
ever 20 back to Mosslands and how different
was the present reality from that fond antici.
pation


True to his word, Maurice started the next
morning before the household was astir, only
Jeffrey, who, by his masters order, got an ear
ly breakfast ready for him, and the boy who
L-L. L., Ln.,, IN tho door hiddinp hi