and had not allowed herself to show the slightest sign of
weakness.

"You do not love me, then?" he said.

"I esteem you as we esteem our dearest friends."

"And you will never love me?"

"How shall I answer you? I do love you,--but not as I love him. I
shall never again have that feeling."

"Except for him?"

"Except for him. If it is to be conquered, I will conquer it. I know,
Mr. Gilmore, that what I have told you will drive you from me. It
ought to do so."

"It is for me to judge of that," he said, turning upon her quickly.

"In judging for myself I have thought it right to tell you the exact
truth, and to let you know what it is that you would possess if you
should choose to take me." Then again she was silent, and waited for
her doom.

There was a pause of, perhaps, a couple of minutes, during which he
made no reply. He walked the length of the room twice, slowly, before
he uttered a word, and during that time he did not look at her. Had
he chosen to take an hour, she would not have interrupted him again.
She had told him everything, and it was for him now to decide. After
what she had said he could not but recall his offer. How was it
possible that he should desire to make a woman his wife after such a
declaration as that which she had made to him?

"And now," he said, "it is for me to decide."

"Yes, Mr. Gilmore, it is for you to decide."

"Then," said he, coming up to her and putting out his hand, "you are
my betrothed. May God in his mercy soften your heart to me, and
enable you to give me some return for all the love that I bear you."
She took his hand and raised it to her lips and kissed it, and then
had left the room before he was able to stop her.

CHAPTER L.

MARY LOWTHER INSPECTS HER FUTURE HOME.

Of course it was soon known in the vicarage that Mary Lowther
had accepted the Squire's hand. She had left him standing in
the drawing-room;--had left him very abruptly, though she had
condescended to kiss his hand. Perhaps in no way could she have made
a kinder reply to his petition for mercy. In ordinary cases it is
probably common for a lady, when she has yielded to a gentleman's
entreaties for the gift of herself, to yield also something further
for his immediate gratification, and to submit herself to his
embrace. In this instance it was impossible that the lady should do
so. After the very definite manner in which she had explained to him
her feelings, it was out of the quest