words, strong,
eloquent, convincing, seemed to overwhelm her like a torrent, and yet
his manner was perfectly quiet and calm.

He told her, without attempting to soften or palliate the fact, that
nothing would reconcile Miss Templeton and her sister to such a
marriage; that her brother's character was regarded by them with
abhorrence; that their cherished brother should marry the sister of a
billiard-marker--a mere adventurer and gambler--was utterly impossible;
and Leah's head was bowed low as she listened. He touched delicately on
her own past; but his few words were terribly convincing. "You have
spoken to me of Cedric's youth and freshness," he observed--"do you
think that your past life with its sad experiences make you a fit mate
for him? You may tell me you are only a few years older; but in
knowledge of life he is a mere child compared to you. It is in the name
of his youth--his fresh, unsullied youth--that I implore you to be
generous and set him free."

Malcolm said more than this--for his own love for Elizabeth made him
eloquent. He must do her this one service: he must deliver her young
brother out of the contaminating hands of these Philistines; and so he
reasoned and pleaded with Leah as he had never pleaded in his life
before.

Soon she was weeping; he could see the tears dropping into her lap.
Then suddenly, as a clock struck, she started up. "It is late--I must
go now or Saul will question me. Indeed--indeed I must go."

"But you will think over all I have said, and let me see you again?"
asked Malcolm anxiously.

"Yes, I will think over it; and if possible I will be here to-morrow.
But I cannot answer you now. You have made me very unhappy, Mr.
Herrick. What is it that the Bible says?--'There is no peace for the
wicked.' I must be wicked, for there is no peace for me."

"No--no, you must not say that," he returned kindly; "let me give you
my card, that you may know where to find me. Miss Jacobi, if you will
only bring yourself to do this thing, you will be a brave woman, and I
shall be your friend for life." But she only smiled faintly as she took
the card and asked him as a special favour not to come any farther with
her.

"Have I done any good?" thought Malcolm sorrowfully, as he walked away.
"Poor soul, how she loves him! Cedric was right, as I told Miss
Templeton: Leah Jacobi is more sinned against than sinning. Nature
intended her for a noble woman, but Saul Jacobi and Count Antonio
Fer