n put to use In my old griefs, and with my
childhood's faith: I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost
saints; I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! and,
if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death."

There was a pause of full-hearted silence, and then Agatha heard a sigh
behind her.

Her husband had come to the door, and, hearing reading, had stolen in,
no one noticing him but his sister. Agatha saw nothing; her eyelids were
closely, fiercely shut, over the tears that rose at this vision of a
lost or impossible paradise.

"Agatha!" She looked up, and saw him stand, wearing his palest, coldest
aspect--that which always seemed to freeze up every young feeling within
her. The pang it gave found vent in but one expression--scarcely meant
to pass her lips--and inaudible to all save him:

"Oh, why--why did I marry!"

The moment after, she felt how wrong it was, and would have atoned; but
Mr. Harper had moved quickly from her side. Elizabeth called him; he
seemed not to hear; Anne, closing her book, addressed him:

"Are you come to talk with us, or to fetch your wife away?"

"Neither," he said, bitterly. But recovering himself--"Nay, Anne, I came
for you. My father wishes to see you. He will hear nothing I can urge.
You must come down and talk with him, or I do not know what will be
done."

Agatha had until now forgotten that her husband had intended after
dinner to tell his father his plans concerning the stewardship. It had
been apparently a harder task than he thought, to strive with the old
Squire's prejudices. Seeing his extreme perturbation, Agatha repented
herself deeply of any unkindness towards him.

She went to his side. "What is the matter? Tell me! Let me help you."

"You!" he echoed; then added, with an accent studiously kind, "Thank
you, Agatha. You are very good always."

He let her take his arm and stand talking with himself and Miss Valery.

"I feared it would be so," the latter said. "Your father has a strong
will; still he can be persuaded. We must try."

"But only persuasion--no reasons. Understand me, Anne--no reasons!"

Miss Valery looked at the young man very earnestly.

"Nathanael, if I did not know you well, and know too whose guidance
formed your character, it would be hard to trust you."

"Anne!" Again the peculiar manner which sometimes appeared in him,
making him seem much older than his years, had its strange influence
with Miss Va