"I suppose you are wondering whether I ever expected to marry you or
not," he went on, getting the thought out of her mind. "I am no
different from many men in that respect, Berenice. I will be frank. I
wanted you in any way that I could get you. I was living in the hope
all along that you would fall in love with me--as I had with you. I
hated Braxmar here, not long ago, when he appeared on the scene, but I
could never have thought of interfering. I was quite prepared to give
you up. I have envied every man I have ever seen with you--young and
old. I have even envied your mother for being so close to you when I
could not be. At the same time I have wanted you to have everything
that would help you in any way. I did not want to interfere with you
in case you found some one whom you could truly love if I knew that you
could not love me. There is the whole story outside of anything you
may know. But it is not because of this that I came to-day. Not to
tell you this."

He paused, as if expecting her to say something, though she made no
comment beyond a questioning "Yes?"

"The thing that I have come to say is that I want you to go on as you
were before. Whatever you may think of me or of what I have just told
you, I want you to believe that I am sincere and disinterested in what
I am telling you now. My dream in connection with you is not quite
over. Chance might make me eligible if you should happen to care. But
I want you to go on and be happy, regardless of me. I have dreamed,
but I dare say it has been a mistake. Hold your head high--you have a
right to. Be a lady. Marry any one you really love. I will see that
you have a suitable marriage portion. I love you, Berenice, but I will
make it a fatherly affection from now on. When I die I will put you in
my will. But go on now in the spirit you were going before. I really
can't be happy unless I think you are going to be."

He paused, still looking at her, believing for the time being what he
said. If he should die she would find herself in his will. If she were
to go on and socialize and seek she might find some one to love, but
also she might think of him more kindly before she did so. What would
be the cost of her as a ward compared to his satisfaction and delight
in having her at least friendly and sympathetic and being in her good
graces and confidence?

Berenice, who had always been more or less interested in him,
temperamentally biase