s. I am strong, she is pitiably feeble. I have never known
the blessing of a father's love, have learned to do without it; she
has no other comfort, no other balm, and I will not rob her of the
little God has left her. I understand how mother feels, I cannot
blame her; and while I know that her care and anxiety in this matter
are chiefly on my account, I could never respect, never forgive
myself, if to promote my own importance or interest I selfishly
consented to beggar poor Maud. She cannot live long; death has set a
shadowy mark already upon her weird eyes, and until they close in the
peace of the grave let us leave her the name she seems so proud of.
She pronounced it Maud Ames Laurance, as though it were a royal
title. Let her bear it. I can wait."

As Mr. Chesley watched the pale gem-like face, with its soft holy
eyes full of a resolution which he knew all the world could not
shake, a sudden mist blurred her image, and taking her hand, he
kissed her forehead.

"My noble child, if the golden rule you seek to practise were in
universal acceptation and actualization, injustice, fraud, and crime
would overturn the bulwarks of morality and decency. When men violate
the laws of God and man as Cuthbert Laurance certainly has done, even
religion as well as justice requires that his crime should be
punished; although in nearly all such instances the innocent suffer
for the sins of the guilty. Your mother owes it to you, to me, to
herself, to society, to demand recognition of her legal rights; and
though I do not approve all that she proposes (at least, the manner
of its accomplishment), I cannot censure her; and you, dear child,
for whose sake she has borne so much, should pause before you judge
her harshly."

"God forbid that I should! But oh, uncle! it seems to me something
dreadful, sacrilegious, to act over before a multitude of strangers
those mournful miserable events that ought to be kept sacred. The
thought of being present is very painful to me."

"None but General Laurance and his son will dream that it is more
than a mere romance. None but they can possibly recognize the scenes,
and the audience cannot suspect that Minnie is acting her own
history. When a suit is instituted, it will probably result in a
recognition of the marriage, and thereupon a large alimony will be
granted to your mother, who will at once apply for a divorce. In the
present condition of their financial affairs this cannot fail to
begga