for sufficient cause? She was relinquishing if she
quitted him, all that the world values. Not quite that, perhaps; if
turned out from her father's family even, she was in no danger of
wanting food or shelter or protection; for she would be sure of those
and more in Mrs. Caxton's house. But looking forward into the course of
future years that might lie before her, the one alternative offered for
her choice presented all that is pleasant in worldly estimation; and on
the other side there was a lonely life, and duty, and the affection of
one old woman. But though the two views came with startling clearness
before Eleanor just at this moment, the more attractive one brought no
shadow of temptation with it. She saw it, that was all, and turned away
from it to consider present circumstances.

Would her father keep to his word? It seemed impossible; yet coolly
reflecting, Eleanor thought from what she knew of him that he would; so
far at least as to send her into immediate banishment. That such
banishment would be more than temporary she did not believe. Mr.
Carlisle would get over his disappointment, would marry somebody else;
and in course of time her mother and father, the latter of whom
certainly loved her, would find out that they wanted her at home again.
But how long first? That no one could tell, nor what might happen in
the interval; and when she had got so far in her thoughts, Eleanor's
tears began to flow. She let them flow; it relieved her; and somehow
there was a good fountain head of them. And again those two pictures of
future life rose up before her; not as matters of choice, to take one
and leave the other--but as matters of contrast, in somewhat that
entered the spring of tears and made them bitter. Was something gone
from her life, that could never be got back again? had she lost
something that could never be found again? Was there a "bloom and
fragrance" waving before her on the one hand, though unattainable,
which the other path of life with all its beauty did not offer? To
judge by Eleanor's tears she had some such thoughts. But after a time
the tears cleared away, and her bowed face looked up as fair as a blue
sky after a storm. And Eleanor never had another time of weeping during
the month.

It was a dull month to other people. It would have been a dreary one to
her, only that there is a private sunshine in some hearts that defies
cloudy weather. There is an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast, by