. But I give you up."

"You postpone our marriage during your father's lifetime?"

"I postpone it--I do more--I break it off. Oh! John, don't look at me
like that; pity me--pity me, my heart will break."

But he had pushed her a little away from him. Pale as death he rose to
his feet. "Charlotte! you are deceiving me; you have another reason for
this?"

"If you will have it so," she said.

"You are keeping a secret from me."

"I do not say so, but you are likely enough to think this," she
repeated.

"Can you deny it?"

"I will not try, I know we must part."

"If this is so, we must. A secret between husband and wife is fatal."

"It would be, but I admit nothing, we cannot be husband and wife."

"Never, Charlotte?"

"Never!" she said.

Hinton thought for a moment, and then he came up and again took her
hand. "Lottie, tell me that secret; trust me; I know there is a secret,
tell it to me, all of it, let me decide whether it must part us."

"I cannot, my darling--my darling--I can say nothing, explain nothing,
except that you and I must part."

"If that is so, we must," he said.

He was pained, shocked, and angry, beyond words. He left the room and
the house without even another look.

CHAPTER XLII.

"I LOVE HIM," SHE ANSWERED.

That evening Charlotte came softly into her father's study and sat down
by his side. She had not appeared at dinner-time, sending another
excuse. She was not very well, she said; she would see her father later
in the evening. But as she could not eat, she did not care to come to
dinner. She would like to see her father quite alone afterwards.
Charlotte had worded this verbal message with great care, for she wished
to prepare her father for something of extra importance. Even with the
tenderest watching it was impossible to avoid disturbing him a little,
and she wished to prepare him for the very slight but unavoidable shock
she must give. Jasper dined at Prince's Gate as usual. But after dinner
he went away. And Charlotte, when she knew this, instantly went down to
her father. She was now perfectly calm. For the time being had forgotten
herself absolutely. Nothing gives outward composure like
self-forgetfulness, like putting yourself in your fellow-man's place.
Charlotte had done this when she stepped up to her old father's side.
She had dressed herself, too, with special thought for him. There was a
muslin frock, quite clear and simple, which he had loved. It was a