Agnes, that there will be no rest for my feet
until I reach the highest."

"Pray heaven your too eager feet stumble not!" almost sobbed Mrs.
Markland, with something of a prophetic impulse.

The tone and manner of his wife, more than her words, disturbed Mr.
Markland.

"Why should the fact of my re-entering business so trouble you?" he
asked. "An active, useful life is man's truest life, and the only
one in which he can hope for contentment."

Mrs. Markland did not answer, but partly turned her face away to
conceal its expression.

"Are you not a little superstitious?" inquired her husband.

"I believe not," was answered with forced calmness. "But I may be
very selfish."

"Selfish, Agnes! Why do you say that?"

"I cannot bear the thought of giving you up to the busy world
again," she answered, tenderly, leaning her head against him. "Nor
will it be done without struggle and pain on my part. When we looked
forward to the life we have been leading for the last few years, I
felt that I could ask of the world nothing of external good beyond;
I have yet asked nothing. Here I have found my earthly paradise. But
if banishment must come, I will try to go forth patiently, even
though I cannot shut the fountain of tears. There is another Eden."

Mr. Markland was about replying, when his sister entered the room,
and he remained silent.

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE conversation was resumed after they were again alone.

"Grace frets herself continually about Fanny," said Mrs. Markland,
as her sister-in-law, after remaining for a short time, arose and
left the room.

"She is always troubling herself about something," answered Mr.
Markland, impatiently.

"Like many others, she generally looks at the shadowed side. But
Fanny is so changed, that not to feel concern on her account would
show a strange indifference."

Mr. Markland sighed involuntarily, but made no answer. He, too, felt
troubled whenever his thoughts turned to his daughter. Yet had he
become so absorbed in the new business that demanded his attention,
and in the brilliant results which dazzled him, that to think, to
any satisfactory conclusion, on the subject of Fanny's relation to
Mr. Lyon, had been impossible; and this was the reason why he rather
avoided than sought a conference with his wife. She now pressed the
matter on his attention so closely, that he could not waive its
consideration.

"Mr. Lyon's purposes are not to be mistaken," said Mrs.