place where his
father had warned him, and made the strongest impression upon him, he
would warn his children, and in the same way; so he took them to the
picture gallery, where he had last stood with his father.

With gentle firmness he said: "I have brought you here as I have
something to say to you which is best said here. Years ago, children,
my father brought me, as I bring you, to warn and advise me--I warn and
advise you. We are, though so closely related, almost strangers. I am
ready to love you and do love you. I intend to make your happiness my
chief study. But there is one thing I must have--that is, perfect
openness, one thing I must forbid--that is, deceit of any kind, on any
subject. If either of you have in your short lives a secret, tell it
to me now; if either of you love any one, even though it be one
unworthy, tell me now. I will pardon any imprudence, any folly, any
want of caution--everything save deceit. Trust me, and I will be
gentle as a tender woman; deceive me, and I will never forgive you."

Both fair faces had grown pale--Beatrice's from sudden and deadly fear;
Lillian's from strong emotion.

"The men of our race," said Lord Earle, "have erred at times, the women
never. You belong to a long line of noble, pure, and high-bred woman;
there must be nothing in your lives less high, and less noble than in
theirs; but if there had been--if, from want of vigilance, of training,
and of caution there should be anything in this short past, tell it to
me now, and I will forget it."

Neither spoke to him one word, and a strange pathos came into his voice.

"I committed one act of deceit in my life," continued Lord Earle; "it
drove me from home, and it made me an exile during the best years of my
life. It matters little what it was--you will never know; but it has
made me merciless to all deceit. I will never spare it; it has made me
harsh and bitter. You will both find in me the truest, the best of
friends; if in everything you are straightforward and honorable; but,
children, dearly as I love you, I will never pardon a lie or an act of
deceit."

"I never told a lie in my life," said Lillian, proudly. "My mother
taught us to love the truth."

"And you, my Beatrice?" he asked, gently as he turned to the beautiful
face half averted from him.

"I can say with my sister," was the haughty reply, "I have never told a
lie."

Even as she spoke her lips grew pale with fear, as she remember