would permit it, this new-fangled hatred of Clary's would,
Patience thought, soon be overcome. If, however,--as was more
probable,--Sir Thomas should violently disapprove, then there would
be no more visits from Ralph Newton to the villa. As there had been a
declaration of love, of course their father would be informed of it
at once. Patience, having so resolved, allowed her sister to go to
her bed without further questioning.

In Clarissa's own bosom the great offence had been forgiven,--or
rather condoned before the morning. Her lover had been very cruel to
her, very wicked, and most unkind;--especially unkind in this, that
he had turned to absolute pain a moment of life which might have been
of all moments the fullest of joy; and especially cruel in this, that
he had so treated her that she could not look forward to future joy
without alloy. She could forgive him;--yes. But she could not endure
that he should think that she would forgive him. She was willing
to blot out the offence, as a thing by itself, in an island of her
life,--of which no one should ever think again. Was she to lose her
lover for ever because she did not forgive him! If they could only
come to some agreement that the offence should be acknowledged to
be heinous, unpardonable, but committed in temporary madness, and
that henceforward it should be buried in oblivion! Such agreement,
however, was impossible. There could be no speech about the matter.
Was she or was she not to lose her lover for ever because he had done
this wicked thing? During the night she made up her mind that she
could not afford to pay such a price for the sake of avenging virtue.
For the future she would be on her guard! Wicked and heartless man,
who had robbed her of so much! And yet how charming he had been to
her as he looked into her eyes, and told her that he could do very
much better than fall in love with her West Indian cousin. Then she
thought of the offence again. Ah, if only a time might come in which
they should be engaged together as man and wife with the consent of
everybody! Then there would be no more offences.

CHAPTER IV.

MARY BONNER.

While Clarissa Underwood was being kissed on the lawn at Popham
Villa, Sir Thomas was sitting, very disconsolate, in a private
room at the Dolphin, in Southampton. It had required no great
consideration to induce him to resolve that a home should be given
by him to his niece. Though he was a man so weak that he c