hid her face on her guardian's shoulder, and sobbed.

An expression of painful surprise and stern displeasure clouded Dr.
Grey's countenance, as he smoothed the hair away from the girl's
throbbing temples.

"Calm yourself, Muriel. If Gerard has forfeited your confidence, he is
unworthy of your tears. Do you apprehend that his indifference is
merely the result of separation, or have you any cause to attribute it
to interest in some other person?"

"That is a question I cannot answer."

"Cannot, or will not?"

"I know nothing positively; but I fear something, which perhaps I
ought not to mention."

"Throw aside all hesitancy, and talk freely to me. If Granville is
either fickle or dishonorable, you should rejoice that the discovery
has been made in time to save you from life-long wretchedness."

"If we were only married, I am sure I could win him back to me."

"That is a fatal fallacy, that has wrecked the happiness of many
women. If a lover grows indifferent, as a husband he will be cold,
unkind, unendurable. If as a devoted fiancee you can not retain and
strengthen his affection,--as a wife you would weary and repel him.
Have you answered the last letter?"

"No, sir."

"My dear child, do you not consider me your best friend?"

"Certainly I do."

"Then yield to my guidance, and follow my advice. Lose no time in
writing to Mr. Granville, and cancel your engagement. Tell him he is
free."

"Oh, then I should lose him,--and happiness, forever!" wailed Muriel,
clasping her hands almost despairingly.

"You have already lost his heart, and should be unwilling to retain
him in fetters that must be galling."

"Ah, Dr. Grey! it is very easy for you who never loved any one, to
tell me, in that cold, business-like way, that I ought to set Gerard
free; but you cannot realize what it costs to follow your counsel. Of
course I know that in everything else you are much wiser than I, but
persons who have no love affairs of their own are not the best judges
of other people's. He is so dear to me, I believe it would kill me to
give him up, and see him no more."

"On the contrary, you would survive much greater misfortune than
separation from a man who is unworthy of you. I cannot coerce, but
simply counsel you in this matter, and should be glad to learn what
your own decision is. Do you intend to wait until Gerard Granville
explicitly requests you to release him from his engagement?"

She winced, and the tears gushed