y turned her soft blue eyes upon him with an expression
which must have pierced him to the very soul--it was not an expression
of anger--it was not exactly one of sorrow; but it was a look in which
wounded pride at his having for a moment believed such a thing possible,
was blended with tender reproach for thus misunderstanding her. The
former feeling, however, was alone distinguishable, as, drawing herself
up with an air of quiet dignity, which gave a character of severity to
her pretty little features of which I could scarcely have believed them
capable, she replied, "Since Mr. Lawless has not had sufficient delicacy
to preserve his own secret, it is useless for me to attempt to do so;
therefore, as you are aware that he has done me the honour of offering
me his hand, in justice to myself I now inform you that it is an honour
which I have declined, and, with it, all chance of attaining that 'rank
and station' on which you imagined I had placed my hopes of happiness.
You will, perhaps, excuse me," she added, rising to leave the room;
"these events have annoyed and agitated me much."

"Stay!" exclaimed Oaklands, springing up impetuously, "Fanny, for
Heaven's sake, wait one moment! Am I ~374~~ dreaming? or did I hear you
say that you had refused Lawless?"

"I have already told you that it is so," she replied: "pray let me pass;
you are presuming on your privileges as an old friend."

"Bear with me for one moment," pleaded Oaklands, in a voice scarcely
audible from emotion. "You have not refused him out of any mistaken
notions of generosity arising from difference of station? In a word--for
I must speak plainly, though at the risk of distressing you--do you love
him?"

"Really--" began Fanny, again attempting to quit the room, and turning
first red, then pale, as Oaklands still held his position between her
and the door.

"Oh! pardon me," he continued in the same broken voice, "deem me
presuming--mad--what you will; but as you hope for happiness here or
hereafter, answer me this one question--Do you love him?"

"No, I do not," replied Fanny, completely subdued by the violence of his
emotion.

"Thank God!" murmured Oaklands, and sinking into a chair, the strong
man, overcome by this sudden revulsion of feeling, buried his face in
his hands and wept like a child. There is no sight so affecting as that
of manhood's tears. It seems natural for a woman's feelings to find vent
in weeping; and though all our sympathies a