band's a proud man, he thinks low birth | for. Why, I should be watched at every and vulgarity as bad as murder and steal- turn, and never believed again. I know ing. He thinks I have always been Miss my husband he would be ashamed of Latimer, a gentleman's child, brought up me for the rest of his life: and just because abroad. If he finds out he has been de- he'd never have had the wit to find it out ceived he'll never forgive me, he'll cast me for himself, once he knows it, he'll be findoff. Look here, Mrs. Whitmore," she went ing out lowness and vulgar ways in all I on, vehemently, "I'm not a good woman do and all I say. I'd rather hang myself like you, I find no comfort in church up to that pole, Mrs. Whitmore," she and prayers as you do; if my hus- pointed to the bed -"than live with him band casts me off I can't be left alone in on those terms. No, it's your doing now. the world, I must go to some one else; I Take your choice: I won't speak again till can't live without society and amusement, you've made it-whether I'm to go on I must be worshipped in one way or an- Mrs. Downes to the end, or whether I'm other." to go off in an hour's time with some one else."

her." There was almost a fervour of lous that Nuna could so easily forgive his earnestness in Nuna's voice. She turned wife. again to Patty, put her arm round her, and kissed her.

"Mrs. Whitmore, you are a noble woman: you have taught me a lesson to-day. If all I've been told is true, you have as Mr. Downes was very angry with Pamuch to forgive my wife as I have." tience Coppock: just then he would like to Then he turned with a look of sudden ap-have inflicted any punishment on her. peal to Patty.

"My darling Patience," was at the top. Only an old love-letter; poor creature," and then he looked on to the signaTo his worldly notions it seemed marvel-ture "Maurice Downes."

"Oh, my God!" he fell on his knees, then he went down-stairs slowly and heavhis head nearly touching the dead woman. ily to the room where he had left Patty. Who shall describe the utter horror and confusion of thought that came upon him in those awful moments, while he knelt beside the dead body of his old love?

All the bitter upbraidings he had given way to during these last weeks, while he had watched the smiles and looks he most coveted denied to himself and lavished on others, seemed to fall on his heart like stripes; punishment, dealt justly to him in retribution.

CHAPTER LXVII.

A CONFESSION.

PATTY kept aloof from Nuna in sullen, determined silence, and Nuna judged it better to leave her to her husband than to try any outward means of softening this miserable mood. Only while she stood seemingly bent on watching the courier's movements in the court-yard below, as he hurried the stableman's operations, Nuna's lips moved in silent prayer, that Patty might be saved from the fate she seemed to be tempting.

He rose feebly from his knees and staggered to a chair. Clearly, as before the mental sight of one drowning, was the memory of that unexpected return to his father's house and his meeting with Pa- How long Mr. Downes was away! would tience Clayton - - he shuddered as her fresh he never come? He came at last, came young beauty came in one vivid glance; slowly and heavily, and Nuna started at and then more slowly, because harder to the sight of his face it was so white and the belief of the world-hardened con-rigid. science, came back those hours of boyish You must not wait any longer, Mrs. love, of mornings spent in a sort of hun- Whitmore." Then he whispered, "Will gering longing and unrest till he was sure of finding her alone in her little school

room.

How vehemently he had resented his stepmother's conduct; he knew without looking at it again that the crumpled letter, so carefully treasured, was full of passionate love and trust; in it he had vowed to be always true to Patience.

Why was all this so terribly real and present now, and why had it all been so vague and far off and lost out of memory, when he saw her again a friendless girl in London? For a moment it seemed to Maurice Downes, in the terrible remorse that makes any effort, however unreal, possible and needful, that if he had married the girl whose love he had won, it would have been just and righteous. She loved him truly; had any woman ever loved him so well, with so little requital? And then came back those words spoken to him in the court-yard so short a while ago words which he had despised her for uttering, because he disbelieved in them. "There are reasons why I'd still do much for you." And she, with all her wrongs, despised, neglected, had loved him to the end-had lived beside him all these months and seen his love lavished on Patty.

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you start now, and will you say good-bye to me here? I don't want to leave my wife alone; I have told Louis everything, and he will go on with you till you are with Mr. Whitmore. God bless you." He wrung Nuna's hand hard, and his eyes filled with tears; Mr. Downes resolved that she should know nothing of the awful story that had acted itself out so near them all; it was among the few unselfish acts of his life towards anyone but Patty.

Nuna looked at Patty, but there was no movement.

Good-bye" she said shyly.

Patty gave one hurried, scared look at her: "Good-bye," but she turned away as Nuna made a forward movement.

"I had best go," Nuna whispered to Mr. Downes; "good-bye."

Mr. Downes looked after her as she went down the gallery. Till now he had been too much absorbed to realize Nuna's trouble, but it took a new, serious aspect.

"Poor thing; I hope she will find her husband, but who can say? he may fall ill and die; and be buried next day in one of those out-of-the-way Cévénol_villages, and none of us any the wiser. Poor thing. I wish I could have gone on with her.'

He went back into the room. Patty A feeling of deep indignation rose still stood where he had left her; defiant against his wife. and gloomy.

"She must hear it all. If I confess to her, it may bend her pride."

He got up and forced himself to take one long, fixed look at the poor pale face;

"Come upstairs with me, Elinor," he said, "only for a few minutes."

His love for her guided him rightly so far; nothing but strength of will could

sion.

have kept her from an outbreak of pas- tumultuously; with a sudden cry, she flung herself at his feet, and clasped her arms round him.

He took her hand and kept it firmly clasped while they went upstairs together; and as he felt how unwillingly it rested in his, his heart grew heavier, and sterner thoughts mingled with his desire to keep his wife beside him. But he was too merciful to let her go into the room without a warning.

"Stay a minute, I want to tell you something, Elinor." He did not look at her while he spoke. "I had a most awful shock when I left you just now. Some years ago, a young man and a girl were in love with each other; he forgot his love and the promises he had made to keep true to it worse than that, he was rlch and the girl poor, and when he met her afterwards alone in London, he broke away from her with a few cold words and an offer of money instead of love." Patty raised her head at last and began to listen. "I was that youth, Elinor, but the girl loved on to the end." He stopped, Patty's eyes were fixed on him; something in the solemnity of his tone and look frightened her. "Elinor, all this time she has been living with us, and I never once recognized her."

"Was it Patience?" she whispered, and then she drew away from the door. Instinct and the look in his face told her he was seeking to prepare her for something from which she should shrink.

But he drew her on; they went in handin-hand - these two sinners; for it is sin, though the world may not call it so, to win affection, and then to leave it to wither unrequited both gazing on the awful wreck of passion lying there so still.

For an instant Patty stood white and dumb; then she shrieked out in loud terror, and clung to her husband.

"Oh, Maurice, Maurice, have mercy! Take me away for God's sake, take me, or I shall die—I shall die." She laid her face on his shoulder, but he made no answer; it was only fear, he thought not love that had worked this sudden change.

She shivered and left off screaming; then she glanced up in his face, and the fixed, rigid look she saw there awed her as much as her fear.

"Oh, Maurice, Maurice! for God's sake forgive me if you can."

It seemed to Nuna as if that weary day would never end, and yet, as if she would give much to lengthen it. It was getting dusk when they at length reached the village to which the courier said he had directed the English gentleman when they parted at Clermont. Louis shrugged his shoulders at the notion of still finding Mr. Whitmore there; but he agreed that it was the only way of getting a clue to his further movements.

He left Nuna sitting in the jolting vehicle in which they had come out from Clermont, while he got down to make inquiries at the cabaret. A dirty woman came to the door. Nuna bent forward to listen, but the patois sounded unintelligible.

The look of sudden concern in the courier's face startled her; she scrambled out of the high, clumsy carriage. "What is it?" she asked; "have you heard anything?" The man looked frightened. "What is it?" said Nuna to the woman; "has an English gentleman been here; tell me I'm his wife."

The courier had recovered his wits. "Madame, the gentleman has been here; he is first very ill and then he gets better but before he is recovered he again falls into the same malady, and, Madame, he will perhaps not recover."

A superhuman strength seemed to come to Nuna while she listened.

"He will recover when he sees me; take me where he is," she said to the wo

man.

The woman stared, but she understood the lady's looks better than her words.

Nuna followed her through the dirty mud-floored kitchen, where a wretched animal, more like a jackal than a dog, and some tall lean fowls were feeding together. At the back of this came a close, dirty passage, with a door on each side. One of the doors had a glass top, and this gave light to the passage. The woman opened this door and went in; the glass was so "Elinor," he spoke so coldly, so sadly, smeared that Nuna could not distinguish that all passion seemed hushed at the anything; she held her breath and lissound- 66 we have both helped to do this, tened. She looked so pale and worn, to drive her to madness; but it is easier standing there - this last blow had been for me than for you to know how she suf- worse than all-but suddenly light fered from loving so well, so truly." sparkled in her eyes, a glow rose in her He stopped. Patty's bosom heaved 'cheeks, her whole nature seemed kindling

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with a glory of hope. It was Paul's voice. | for evermore every thought and every Nuna fell on her knees in the dirty little wish of the life bound up in her own.

Mrs. Fagg finds Dennis smoking, as he "You shall speak when you've drunk limped up and down the walk, between this," said Nuna smiling; and she kissed the espaliers, laden with their red and the hand she had been holding. "You brown fruit. don't know how I've been practising nursing, darling; you shall be well in a week," and she held the spoon to his lips.

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