been subjected, the disquiet that had troubled
her mind throughout the spring, were all as forgotten as if they had
never been. There was not a cloud upon the horizon of her joy.

As if to grasp her present ecstasy with both hands, she, with no
inconsiderable effort, recalled all the more unhappy incidents in her
life, to make believe that she was still enduring these, and that there
was no prospect of escape from their defiling recurrence. She then fell
to imagining how envious she would be were she acquainted with a happy
Mavis Keeves who, in three days' time, was to belong, for all time, to
the man of her choice.

It was with inexpressible joy that she presently permitted herself to
realise that it was none other than she upon whom this great gift of
happiness unspeakable had been bestowed. The rapture born of this
blissful realisation impelled her to seek expression in words.

"Life is great and noble," she cried; "but love is greater."

Every nerve in her body vibrated with ecstasy. And in four days--

Two letters, thrust beneath her door by Mrs Farthing, recalled her to
the trivialities of everyday life. She picked them up, to see that one
was in the well-known writing of the man she loved; the other, a
strange, unfamiliar scrawl, which bore the Melkbridge postmark. Eager
to open her lover's letter, yet resolved to delay its perusal, so that
she could look forward to the delight of reading it (Mavis was already
something of an epicure in emotion), she tore open the other, to
decipher its contents with difficulty. She read as follows:--

"SHAW HOUSE, MELKBRIDGE.

"MADAM,--My son has told me of his intentions with regard to yourself.
This is to tell you that, if you persist in them, I shall withdraw the
assistance I was on the point of furnishing in order to give him a new
start in life. It rests with you whether I do my utmost to make or mar
his future. For reasons I do not care to give, and which you may one
day appreciate, I do what may seem to your unripe intelligence a
meaningless act of cruelty.--I remain, dear Madam, Your obedient
servant,

"JOHN VEZEY PERIGAL."

The sun went out of Mavis' heaven; the gorgeous hues faded from her
life. She felt as if the ground were cut from under her feet, and she
was falling, falling, falling she knew not where. To save herself, she
seized and opened Perigal's letter.

This told her that he knew the contents of his father's note; that he
was still eager to