that,
carried away by a strange and seductive fascination, she has
abandoned him for an uneducated boy. His pride, even if it do not
make him forget her, will so balance with his now unrequited
affection, as to enable him to bear himself up, until time shall
have robbed the wound of all its bitterness, and nothing remain
but the scar. You will, moreover, have an efficient officer preserved
to you, and one whose services may be much required in the present
crisis--whose voice in the council will not be without its weight,
and whose arm and example will help to instil confidence in the
men, with all of whom he is a marked favorite."

"You are right, Ellen, if all that you suppose be true; better that
the wound should be enlarged to insure its speedier cure, than that
the laceration, though less acute, should be continued. But is it
not necessary to be well assured of this? Should you not have
stronger ground than what you witnessed yesterday to justify the
belief that this excursion was planned to insure the result that
has followed?"

"Depend upon it, Headley, I will not do so, for you know I am not
disposed to 'aught extenuate or aught set down in malice,' but I
have already prepared Ronayne, indirectly, to expect some singular
relation in which Maria is concerned. I wanted him to form some
idea of the nature of the revelation I had to make, in order that
the shock might not be so great, when I fully entered upon the
subject, I had at first intended that he should come to me in the
morning, but, on reflection, I thought it better that everything
should be told to him to-night where he is, and therefore stated,
on leaving, that I would return within an hour. Was I right, my
love?" and she took and pressed his hand to her lips.

"Always right, dear Ellen--always considerate and prudent. Yes,
poor fellow, it were cruel to let him slumber in hope, however
faint, only to wake to confirmed despair in the morning. Besides
there may be, most probably will be, a wild outbreak of his passionate
grief, and that, manifested here where the servants cannot fail to
hear him, may induce suspicions of the true cause that must never
be entertained. No, whatever we know, however we may deplore the
weakness--the infatuation of that once noble girl, within our own
hearts must remain her unfortunate secret."

"Generously, nobly said, my husband. Were I not certain that it
would destroy, wither up the very soul of Ronayne to keep him i