elieve I could re-establish myself in my
former profession. Thus could I maintain a wife, if, happily, I get
her."

"Get her!" exclaimed Mrs. Colesworthy, "of course you will get her! She
can't help accepting you."

"I should feel the more hope, madam," said Mr. Kilbright, "were it not
requisite that she be informed of all that has happened to me. And all
this must she know before I require her to make answer to me."

"I must admit," I said, "that I am afraid you are going to have a tough
job."

"I don't believe it!" warmly exclaimed my wife. "Lilian Budworth is a
girl of good, solid sense, and when she knows just exactly what has
happened, it is my opinion she will not object a bit."

"Madam," said Mr. Kilbright, "you greatly embolden me, and I shall speak
to Miss Budworth this very day."

Notwithstanding my wife's confidence in Miss Lilian's good sense, she
was as much surprised as I when, the next morning, Mr. Kilbright
informed us that he had been accepted. As it was yet an hour before the
library would open, she hurried around to Miss Budworth's home to know
all about it.

The young lady was found, pale, but very happy. "When he left me last
night," she said, "my mind was in a strange hubbub. He had told me that
he loved me, and had asked me to marry him, and my heart would not let
me say anything but 'yes;' and yet, after he had gone, his wondrous
story came up before me as it had not come when he told it, having just
told something else. I did not sleep all night, thinking of it. I have
read and pondered a great deal upon these subjects, but have never been
able to make up my mind whether or not to put faith in the strange
spiritual manifestations of which we are told. So I determined, a good
while ago, not to consider the matter at all. I could do nothing with
it, and it would be better that I should let it alone. To this same
determination I came early this morning in the case of Mr. Kilbright.
None of us know what we may once have been, nor what we may become. All
we know is what we are. Mr. Kilbright may be mistaken as to what he was,
but I know what he is. And to that man I give myself as I am. I am
perfectly satisfied with the present."

Mrs. Colesworthy enfolded her in an approbatory embrace, and hurried
home to tell me about it. "There now!" she exclaimed, "didn't I say that
Lilian Budworth was a girl of good, sound common-sense?"

"That is what you said," I answered, "but I must admit that I w