ume_ of
what was about to appear, and I had to acknowledge that he had the story
correct in most of its details."

She was shrewd enough to note that Hubert Varrick grew very pale while
she was speaking, and she could not help but observe the hopelessness
that settled over his face.

His heart was touched, in spite of himself, to see how gladly Gerelda
greeted him, and to note how she seemed to hang on every word that he
uttered, accepting his love as a matter of course.

Of what use to make any demur now that the fiat had gone forth? There
was nothing for him to do but to accept the bride fate had intended for
him, and shut out from his heart all thoughts of that other love.

It would be a terrible burden to go through life with, acting the part
of a dutiful husband to a young wife whom he pitied but did not love.

Other men had gone through such ordeals. Surely he could be as brave as
they.

And so the preparations for the wedding, for a second time, were begun.
Again the guests were bidden, and the event was to take place in
exactly six weeks from that day.

CHAPTER XVII.

LOVE IS BITTER AND THE WHOLE WORLD GOES WRONG WHEN TWO LOVERS PART IN
ANGER FOREVER.

We must return to our beautiful heroine, little Jessie Bain.

When she turned her face from the Varrick mansion toward the cold and
desolate world, the girl's very heart seemed to stop still in her bosom.

Jessie Bain knew little of traveling--she had not the least idea how to
get to her uncle's, although she had made that trip once before. She
walked one street after the other in the vain hope of finding the depot.
At last, fairly exhausted, she found herself just outside the entrance
to Central Park.

Jessie entered the park, and sunk down on the nearest seat.

Among those sauntering past in the crowd was a tall, broad-shouldered
young man, who stopped abruptly as his bold black eyes fell upon the
lovely young face.

"Heavens! what a beauty!" he muttered, stopping short, under the
pretense of lighting a cigarette, and watching her covertly from under
his dark brows.

Seating himself unconcernedly on the further end of the bench, the
stranger continued to watch Jessie, who had not even the slightest
intimation of his presence.

He waited until the crowd thinned out, until only an occasional
straggler passed by; then he edged nearer the pretty little creature.

"Ahem!" he began, with a slight cough. After several ineffectual
attempts