onel recovered himself slowly, he turned round and looked at his
son.

"Jamie, Jamie, what have you done?"

"Oh, you can say nothing that I've not said to myself. D'you think it's
a step I should have taken lightly? I feel nothing towards Mary but
friendship. I don't love her."

"But--" the Colonel stopped, and then a light shone in his face, and he
began to laugh. "Oh, it's only a lovers' quarrel, Frances. They've had a
little tiff, and they say they'll never speak to one another again. I
warrant they're both heartily sorry already, and before night they'll be
engaged as fast as ever."

James, by a look, implored his mother to speak. She understood, and
shook her head sadly.

"No, Richmond, I'm afraid it's not that. It's serious."

"But Mary loves him, Frances."

"I know," said James. "That's the tragedy of it. If I could only
persuade myself that she didn't care for me, it would be all right."

Colonel Parsons sank into his chair, suddenly collapsing. He seemed
smaller than ever, wizened and frail; the wisp of white hair that
concealed his baldness fell forward grotesquely. His face assumed again
that expression, which was almost habitual, of anxious fear.

"Oh, father, don't look like that! I can't help it! Don't make it harder
for me than possible. You talk to him, mother. Explain that it's not my
fault. There was nothing else I could do."

Colonel Parsons sat silent, with his head bent down, but Mrs. Parsons
asked:

"What did you say to Mary this morning?"

"I told her exactly what I felt."

"You said you didn't love her?"

"I had to."

"Poor thing!"

They all remained for a while without speaking, each one thinking his
painful thoughts.

"Richmond," said Mrs. Parsons at last, "we mustn't blame the boy. It's
not his fault. He can't help it if he doesn't love her."

"You wouldn't have me marry her without love, father?"

The question was answered by Mrs. Parsons.

"No; if you don't love her, you mustn't marry her. But what's to be
done, I don't know. Poor thing, poor thing, how unhappy she must be!"

James sat with his face in his hands, utterly wretched, beginning
already to see the great circle of confusion that he had caused. Mrs.
Parsons looked at him and looked at her husband. Presently she went up
to James.

"Jamie, will you leave us for a little? Your father and I would like to
talk it over alone."

"Yes, mother."

James got up, and putting her hands on his shoulders, she kiss