tions, but I tell you what it is,
Helen, I do understand how hard it is for you! And I can never forgive
him, if you can. It is all very well to think about truth, but it seems
to me he ought to think about you."

"But don't you see," Helen explained, still vaguely hoping that Lois
would understand, "he thinks only of me? Why, Lois, it is all for me."

Lois's face was flushed with excitement. "I don't care!" she cried, "it
is cruel--cruel--cruel!"

Helen looked at her steadily a moment, and then she said patiently, "The
motive is what makes cruelty, Lois. And can't you see that it is only
because of his love that he does this? If he loved me less, he could not
do it."

"Heavens!" Lois exclaimed, springing to her feet, "I wish he loved you
less, then! No, there is no use saying things like that, Helen; he is
narrow and bigoted,--he is a cruel fanatic." She did not see that Helen
had half risen from her chair, and was watching her with gleaming eyes.
"He actually prides himself on being able to make you suffer,--you read
me that yourself out of his letter. He's a bad man, and I'm glad you've
done with him"--

She would have said more, but Helen had followed her swiftly across the
room, and grasping her arm until the girl cried out with pain, she put
her hand over those relentless young lips. "Hush!" she cried, in a
terrible voice; "do not dare to speak so to me! If I hear such words
again, I shall leave this house. You may not be able to see my husband's
nobleness, but at least you can be silent."

Lois pushed her hand away, and stared at her in amazement. "I didn't mean
to offend you," she stammered. "I only meant that he"--

"Do not speak of him!" Helen said passionately, her breath still quick,
and her face white to the lips. "I do not wish to hear what you meant!
Oh, Lois, Lois, I thought that you"--She turned away, and pressed
her hands hard on her eyes a moment; then she said, "I understand--I
know--your affection for me prompted it--but I cannot listen, Lois, if
you have such feelings about him. I will take your sympathy for granted
after this. I do not want to talk about it again."

Lois went silently out of the room, her heart overflowing with love for
her cousin, and added rage at the man who had come between them. She
found Gifford walking about in the hall down-stairs, and, forgetful of
her father's injunction, she went quickly up to him, trembling with
excitement, and half sobbing.

"Giff--oh, Giff