t herself with anything
less formal.

For a moment he sat perfectly still, the color gone from his cheeks,
his eyes fixed on hers, a cold chill benumbing the roots of his hair.
The suddenness of the announcement seemed to have stunned him.

"For how long?" he asked in a halting voice.

"I don't know. Not less than two years; perhaps longer."

"TWO YEARS? Is Lucy ill?"

"No; she wants to study music, and she couldn't go alone."

"Have you made up your mind to this?" he asked, in a more positive
tone. His self-control was returning now.

"Yes."

Doctor John rose from his chair, paced the room slowly for a moment,
and crossing to the fireplace with his back to Jane, stood under her
father's portrait, his elbows on the mantel, his head in his hand.
interwoven with the pain which the announcement had given him was the
sharper sorrow of her neglect of him. In forming her plans she had
never once thought of her lifelong friend.

"Why did you not tell me something of this before?" The inquiry was not
addressed to Jane, but to the smouldering coals. "How have I ever
failed you? What has my daily life been but an open book for you to
read, and here you leave me for years, and never give me a thought."

Jane started in her seat.

"Forgive me, my dear friend!" she answered quickly in a voice full of
tenderness. "I did not mean to hurt you. It is not that I love all my
friends here the less--and you know how truly I appreciate your own
friendship--but only that I love my sister more; and my duty is with
her. I only decided last night. Don't turn your back on me. Come and
sit by me, and talk to me," she pleaded, holding out her hand. "I need
all your strength." As she spoke the tears started to her eyes and her
voice sank almost to a whisper.

The doctor lifted his head from his palm and walked quickly toward her.
The suffering in her voice had robbed him of all resentment.

"Forgive me, I did not mean it. Tell me," he said, in a sudden burst of
tenderness--all feeling about himself had dropped away--"why must you
go so soon? Why not wait until spring?" He had taken his seat beside
her now and sat looking into her eyes.

"Lucy wants to go at once," she replied, in a tone as if the matter did
not admit of any discussion.

"Yes, I know. That's just like her. What she wants she can never wait a
minute for, but she certainly would sacrifice some pleasure of her own
to please you. If she was determined to be a musician