g of my family? Do you know anything of
the Luttrells?"

"I have met some of them," he answered, slowly. His face was paler than
usual, and his eyes, after one hasty glance at her, fell to the ground.
"It was a long time ago. I do not know them now."

"You said you had been here before. You----"

"Miss Murray, don't question me as to how I knew them. You cannot guess
what a painful subject it is to me. I would rather not discuss it."

"But, Mr. Stretton----"

"Let me tell you something else," he said, hastily, as if anxious to
change the subject. "Let me ask you--as you are the arbitress of my
destiny, my employer, I may call you--when you will let me go. Could the
boys do without me at once, do you think? You would soon find another
tutor."

"Mr. Stretton! Why should you go? Do you mean to leave us?" exclaimed
Elizabeth. "Oh, surely it is not necessary to do that!"

"Do you think it would be so easy for me, then, to take money from your
hands after what has passed between us?"

"Money is a small thing," said she.

"Money! yes; but there are other things in the world beside money. And
it is better that I should go away from you now. It is not for my peace
to see you every day, and know that you are to marry Percival Heron.
Cannot you guess what pain it is to me?"

"But the children: you have no love for them, then. I thought that you
did love our little Jack--and they are so fond of you."

"Don't try to keep me," he said, hoarsely. "It is hard enough to say
good-bye without having to refuse you anything. The one thing now for
which I could almost thank God is that you never loved me, Elizabeth."

She shivered, and drew a long, sobbing breath. Her face looked pale and
cold: her voice did not sound like itself as she murmured--

"Why?"

"Because--no, I can't tell you why. Think for yourself of a reason. It
is not that I love you less; and yet--yet--not for the world would I
marry you now that I know what I know."

"You would not marry me because I am rich: that is it, is it not?" she
asked him. "I knew that some men were proud; but I did not think that
you would be so proud."

"What does it signify? There is no chance of your marrying me; you are
going to marry another man--whom you do not love; we may scarcely ever
see each other again after to-day. It is better so."

"If I were free," she said, slowly, "and if--if--I loved you, you would
be doing wrong to leave me because--only because--I was a litt