t? If I
had to choose for her, I should not hesitate between you and me.' Now I
have told you the sum of our conversation, Olivia."

Every word Dr. John had spoken had thrown clearer light upon Martin's
conduct. He had been afraid I should feel myself bound to him; and the
very fact that he had once told me he loved me, had made it more
difficult to him to say so a second time. He would not have any love
from me as a duty. If I did not love him fully, with my whole heart,
choosing him after knowing others with whom I could compare him, he
would not receive any lesser gift from me.

"What will you do, my dear Olivia?" asked Dr. John.

"What can I do?" I said.

"Go to him," he urged; "he is alone. I saw him a moment ago, looking out
at us from the drawing-room window. The old fellow is making up his mind
to see you and me happy together, and to conceal his own sorrow. God
bless him! Olivia, my dear girl, go to him."

"O Jack!" I cried, "I cannot."

"I don't see why you cannot," he answered, gayly. "You are trembling,
and your face goes from white to red, and then white again; but you have
not lost the use of your limbs, or your tongue. If you take my arm, it
will not be very difficult to cross the lawn. Come; he is the best
fellow living, and worth walking a dozen yards for."

Jack drew my hand through his arm, and led me across the smooth lawn. We
caught a glimpse of Martin looking out at us; but he turned away in an
instant, and I could not see the expression of his face. Would he think
we were coming to tell him that he had wasted all his love upon a girl
not worthy of a tenth part of it?

The glass doors, which opened upon the lawn, had been thrown back all
day, and we could see distinctly into the room. Martin was standing at
the other end of it, apparently absorbed in examining a painting, which
he must have seen a thousand times. The doors creaked a little as I
passed through them, but he did not turn round. Jack gave my hand a
parting squeeze, and left me there in the open doorway, scarcely knowing
whether to go on, and speak to Martin, or run away to my room, and leave
him to take his own time.

I believe I should have run away, but I heard Minima's voice behind me,
calling shrilly to Dr. John, and I could not bear to face him again.
Taking my courage in both hands, I stepped quickly across the floor, for
if I had hesitated longer my heart would have failed me. Scarcely a
moment had passed since Jack l