master: a position which, as
you know, I was myself aspiring to occupy. For a few minutes, then, I
stood a prey to feelings of the bitterest wrath and despair; then I grew
calm, realizing that with this letter in my possession I was virtually
the arbitrator of her destiny. Some men would have sought her there and
then and, by threatening to place it in her uncle's hand, won from her
a look of entreaty, if no more; but I--well, my plans went deeper than
that. I knew she would have to be in extremity before I could hope to
win her. She must feel herself slipping over the edge of the precipice
before she would clutch at the first thing offering succor. I decided
to allow the letter to pass into my employer's hands. But it had been
opened! How could I manage to give it to him in this condition without
exciting his suspicion? I knew of but one way; to let him see me open it
for what he would consider the first time. So, waiting till he came into
the room, I approached him with the letter, tearing off the end of the
envelope as I came. Opening it, I gave a cursory glance at its contents
and tossed it down on the table before him.

"That appears to be of a private character," said I, "though there is no
sign to that effect on the envelope."

He took it up while I stood there. At the first word he started, looked
at me, seemed satisfied from my expression that I had not read far
enough to realize its nature, and, whirling slowly around in his chair,
devoured the remainder in silence. I waited a moment, then withdrew to
my own desk. One minute, two minutes passed in silence; he was evidently
rereading the letter; then he hurriedly rose and left the room. As he
passed me I caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror. The expression I
saw there did not tend to lessen the hope that was rising in my breast.

By following him almost immediately up-stairs I ascertained that he
went directly to Mary's room, and when in a few hours later the family
collected around the dinner table, I perceived, almost without looking
up, that a great and insurmountable barrier had been raised between him
and his favorite niece.

Two days passed; days that were for me one long and unrelieved suspense.
Had Mr. Leavenworth answered that letter? Would it all end as it had
begun, without the appearance of the mysterious Clavering on the scene?
I could not tell.

Meanwhile my monotonous work went on, grinding my heart beneath its
relentless wheel. I wrot