ent of deep and passionate love
casting himself at your feet--and--and forgetting himself! Oh, Virginia,
there is something exquisitely pathetic in the thought! But how
fortunate too for you that we arrived when we did! In his sober senses
Paul Barr would rather die than injure a hair of your head; but none of
us, however self-reliant, is free from dread in the presence of a man
who has been over-indulging in stimulants, even though sure of his
affection. My poor dear, how you must have suffered! What will your Aunt
Agnes say? It was only two days ago she said to me she hoped the affair
was at an end. I told her then that one can never be sure of a
thoroughly Bohemian nature; it is liable to burst into flame at the
moment one least expects it. The result shows the correctness of my
prediction. Poor Mr. Barr! what will become of him I wonder? I only hope
he will not attempt his own life,--that would be worse than anything."

Neither Mr. Spence nor I had spoken as she rattled on in this manner,
going down the long flights of stairs to the street. There was just
enough of truth in her remarks to make my frame of mind still more
wretched, and I could barely refrain from requesting her to keep still.
Mr. Spence was evidently much disturbed by what had occurred. The
expression of his face showed that he was under the influence of
violent emotions. Once or twice, too, I saw him glance almost
impatiently at Miss Kingsley, as if her prattle annoyed him. But she was
so brimming over with volubility as to be blind to everything but the
fancies she saw fit to evoke in regard to the scene she had just
witnessed.

When, however, we reached a crossing of streets where her way separated
from mine, Mr. Spence said, in a tone that for him was abrupt, "I shall
see Miss Harlan home."

Miss Kingsley held my hand for a parting shot. "You must not think me
unsympathetic, dear, because I feel sorry for poor Paul Barr. I knew him
before you did, you know; and at one time we were quite as intimate,
though in a different way. If you feel faint, as I should think you must
after such a dreadful experience, why don't you stop at an apothecary's
and get some salts? I always intend to carry salts with me; they are so
convenient on an occasion of this sort. I do hope you will feel better
to-morrow, dear. I shall call the first thing in the morning to inquire
about you. Good-night."

For some minutes Mr. Spence and I remained silent. But now that Mi