ses of courtship in which he would have
indulged as pleasantly as any other man. She had told him in so many
words that she intended to marry him without loving him, and on these
terms he had accepted her. But in doing so he had unconsciously
flattered himself that she would be better than her words,--that
as she submitted herself to him as his affianced bride she would
gradually become soft and loving in his hands. She had, if possible,
been harder to him even than her words. She had made him understand
thoroughly that his presence was not a joy to her, and that her
engagement to him was a burden on her which she had taken on her
shoulders simply because the romance of her life had been nipped
in the bud in reference to the man whom she did love. Still he had
persevered. He had set his heart sturdily on marrying this girl,
and marry her he would, if, after any fashion, such marriage should
come within his power. Mrs. Fenwick, by whose judgment and affection
he had been swayed through all this matter, had told him again and
again, that such a girl as Mary Lowther must love her husband,--if
her husband loved her and treated her with tenderness. "I think I
can answer for myself," Gilmore had once replied, and his friend
had thoroughly believed in him. Trusting to the assurance he had
persevered; he had persevered even when his trust in that assurance
had been weakened by the girl's hardness. Anything would be better
than breaking from an engagement on which he had so long rested all
his hopes of happiness. She was pledged to be his wife; and, that
being so, he could reform his gardens and decorate his house, and
employ himself about his place with some amount of satisfaction. He
had at least a purpose in his life. Then by degrees there grew upon
him a fear that she still meant to escape from him, and he swore
to himself,--without any tenderness,--that this should not be
so. Let her once be his wife and she should be treated with all
consideration,--with all affection, if she would accept it; but she
should not make a fool of him now. Then the Vicar had come with his
message, and he had been simply told that the engagement between them
was over!

Of course he would see her,--and that at once. As soon as Fenwick had
left him, he went with rapid steps over his whole place, and set the
men again upon their work. This took place on a Wednesday, and the
men should be continued at their work, at any rate, till Saturday. He
exp