Year: 1874

=
to bed, or make up your minds to dis
pense with sleep altogether"


Judith was glad to be dismissed, and
as she undressed and laid aside her fin
cry, thought herself too beset with cares
to sleep a wink that night. But she had
not much more than laid her head upon
the pillow, and resolved to think out her
problem, when sleep snatched her away
from care and fruitless brain-work-
thanks to healthy organization.


When Major Floyd came, about noon,
to call upon Judith as he had said, she
went very reluctantly to the interview.
She desired to find her friend what he
had been, but felt that she should not.
All her experience was of kind to
make her despond. She told herself,
bitterly, that truth and honor were the
oretical qualities, and wished impotently
that it were possible to live without be-
lieving in anything. Her agitation
gave her color and animation.


"You are looking well this morning."
said the Major, going forward to meet
her with something of his former cor
dial assurance, but looking pale and
haggard. "Then you have not grieved
very much over my wickedness ?''


"Are you wicked?" asked Judith;
'that is what wish to know before
grieve," and she seated herself at a lit
tie distance, with the air of one who
waits.


''Heavensl In that attitude you
seem like an inquisitor. 1 cannot talk
to you, Miss Miles, if you do not sit at
ease, and smile little, like yourself. 1
will tell you before hand am no ogre,
that you must be afraid of me; nor any
deep-dyed villain, the revelation of
whose deeds will shock you. / am
simply a man who is more wronged
than wronging; but unfortunately not
in position to submit my case to the
worlds judgment"


He paused, and seemed to brace him.
self up for the effort; then continued,
striding across the room, back and forth,
his eyes on the carpet, and his right
hand busy with his beard:s


"That woman said what was true
when she said I married a lovely young
girl with a fortune; but you will OBJ
serve that society does not object to that.
loved her when 1 married her; society
does not object to that, either. But /
discovered, in the honeymoon, that her
friends had practiced a deception upon
me, and she had aided in it, by their ad-
vice. She was afflicted by epilepsy in a
fearful degree, so that was astonished
at the manner in which the secret had
been kept. Can you imagine living
with person having frequently the
most fearful commissions?


''The poor girl, when she perceived
my involuntary horror, was filled with
grief. She acknowledged by whose ad-
vice had been deceived, and with tears
implored me to seek freedom through
the law, since neither she nor 1 could
derive any happiness from such a un-
ion. But, wronged as I felt myself to
be, resolved to keep her secret and my
own. procured my orders to distant
frontier post, and have been on the
frontier, when not in active service,
ever since. To this, it appears, society
does object. Whether it would do so il
the facts were known, l cannot say.
J left my wife provided with the best
medical skill, and am in constant cor
respondence with her physician. know
. from him that her life cannot be long
continued. She herself sends me word
that shall soon be free, and thanks me
: for my forbearance.


az suppose society will say that 1 Sc
cure the advantage of her fortune by
7 taking this course; but I have never


touched q penny of her capital, anC
very little of the interest of it. My pay
supports me. Yet if / were to make use
. of her fortune, it could never buy m,
1 pleasure enough to counterbalance tn,


pain this connection has given me
That is my crime. What do you say
ought to suffer for it ?' he asked, sink
ing into chair beside Judith. "Do yoI
r think 1 am wicked ?"


: Judith found it difficult to reply
e Questions of this kind were involved il
so many issues, it was not for one of he
: limited knowledge to decide upon them
r Though sympathizing deeply, she wa


silent.


'Tell me what you Think" he said


with desperate air of defying the re
! suit


: 81 do not see," answered Judith, re
: luctantly, "that you have wronged you
t wife. should esteem yoaT injury tn


greater. To ME, you do not appear t
have deserved blame in that matter.
o 'In what matter, then? For 1 Sc
t you have made a mental reservation"


Have you done quite right by me p
It faltered Judith, half ashamed to draI
: her own wrongs before his observation
y at such n moment.


by you ?" he repeated, giving her
u searching look. He was eager to knoy
d he would have been glad to believe
IS that she felt herself wronged in a wa
; be perceived she was not thinking Of
d 'If this story gets abroad, it wi
e place me in very equivocal position


You once told me, when wished to d
d something, not wrong in itself, bu
v which you judged to be inexpedien
It that could not defy the opinions of Sc
!. o;at,, avan In do right: that society vrs