nt now. He took a seat opposite to her,
and began pushing the logs together with his boot, as he explained that
he really could not get away from town before.

"Why did you come now?" she quietly rejoined.

"Why did I come?" repeated he. "Are these all the thanks a fellow gets
for travelling in this inclement weather? I thought you would at least
have been glad to welcome me, Isabel."

"Sir Francis," she rejoined, speaking still with almost unnatural
calmness, as she continued to do throughout the interview--though the
frequent changes in her countenance, and the movement of her hands, when
she laid them from time to time on her chest to keep down its beating,
told what effort the struggle cost her--"Sir Francis, I am glad, for one
reason, to welcome you; we must come to an understanding one with the
other; and, so far, I am pleased that you are here. It was my intention
to have communicated with you by letter as soon as I found myself
capable of the necessary exertion, but your visit has removed the
necessity. I wish to deal with you quite unreservedly, without
concealment, or deceit; I must request you so to deal with me."

"What do you mean by 'deal?'" he asked, settling the logs to his
apparent satisfaction.

"To speak and act. Let there be plain truth between us at this
interview, if there never has been before."

"I don't understand you."

"Naked truth, unglossed over," she pursued, bending her eyes
determinately upon him. "It _must_ be."

"With all my heart," returned Sir Francis. "It is you who have thrown
out the challenge, mind."

"When you left in July you gave me a sacred promise to come back in time
for our marriage; you know what I mean when I say 'in time,' but--"

"Of course I meant to do so when I gave the promise," he interrupted.
"But no sooner had I set my foot in London than I found myself
overwhelmed with business, and away from it I could not get. Even now
I can only remain with you a couple of days, for I must hasten back to
town."

"You are breaking faith already," she said, after hearing him calmly to
the end. "Your words are not words of truth, but of deceit. You did not
intend to be back in time for the marriage, or otherwise you would have
caused it to take place ere you went at all."

"What fancies you do take up!" uttered Francis Levison.

"Some time subsequent to your departure," she quietly went on, "one of
the maids was setting to rights the clothes in your dressing-clos