ght still be possible
that a good turn might be done for her cousin. That Clarissa had
loved this man with her whole heart she had herself owned to Mary.
That the man had professed his love for Clary, Clary had also let
her know. And Clary's love had endured even after the blow it had
received from Ralph's offer to her cousin. All this that cousin knew;
but she did not know how that love had now turned to simple soreness.
"I have heard nothing of the man's daughter," said Mary.

"Well then?"

"But I do know that before I came here at all you had striven to gain
the affections of my cousin."

"Clarissa!"

"Yes; Clarissa. Is it not so?" Then she paused, and Ralph remembered
the scene on the lawn. In very truth it had never been forgotten.
There had always been present with him when he thought of Mary Bonner
a sort of remembrance of the hour in which he had played the fool
with dear Clary. He had kissed her. Well; yes; and with some girls
kisses mean so much,--as Polly Neefit had said to her true lover. But
then with others they mean just nothing. "If you want to find a wife
in this house you had better ask her. It is certainly useless that
you should ask me."

"Do you mean quite useless?" asked Ralph, beginning to be somewhat
abashed.

"Absolutely useless. Did I not tell you something else,--something
that I would not have hinted to you, had it not been that I desired
to prevent the possibility of a renewal of anything so vain? But you
think nothing of that! All that can be changed with you at a moment,
if other things suit."

"That is meant to be severe, Miss Bonner, and I have not deserved it
from you. What has brought me to you but that I admire you above all
others?"

"You shouldn't admire me above others. Is a man to change as he likes
because he sees a girl whose hair pleases him for the moment better
than does hers to whom he has sworn to be true?" Ralph did not forget
at this moment to whisper to himself for his own consolation, that
he had never sworn to be true to Clarissa. And, indeed, he did feel,
that though there had been a kiss, the scene on the lawn was being
used unfairly to his prejudice. "I am afraid you are very fickle, Mr.
Newton, and that your love is not worth much."

"I hope we may both live till you learn that you have wronged me."

"I hope so. If my opinion be worth anything with you, go back to her
from whom you have allowed yourself to stray in your folly. To me you
must not addr