is
heart again.

They entered James Harrington's room, a small chamber in the highest
story of the hotel, and both sat down.

"Now," said James, kindly, "tell me why it is that you are so changed. I
scarcely know you with that look, Ralph."

"I scarcely know myself with these feelings," cried the youth, smiting
his breast in a sudden storm of passion. "Oh! James, James! how could
you be so generous, so kind to a poor fellow only to plunder and crush
him at last? What had I done that you should tear up my youth by the
roots, just as it began to feel the warmth of life?"

"Ralph, are you mad?"

"It is not your fault or hers if I am not mad," was the bitter reply.

"Or hers!" repeated Harrington, turning deathly white, "or hers--who are
you speaking of?"

"Of the woman we both love. I cannot speak her name to you. How dare you
brand that noble creature with shame, after using the privileges of my
father's house to win her love? Was it not enough that you had stolen
her heart from me--from us all? Could nothing but her disgrace content
your horrible vanity?"

"Ralph, Ralph, in the name of Heaven, what is this?" cried Harrington,
starting up with an outcry of terrible agony, which whitened his face to
the lips.

"What is this!" thundered Ralph, "are you detected at last? arch
hypocrite, that you are--desecrating the roof that you should have
upheld, leaving traces of your wickedness on every thing that ever loved
you. I ask you again, why did you seek her love? why, having won it, did
you leave her to shame?"

"Ralph, speak briefly and clearly--what is it you mean? has your father
put this cruel charge against me into your mind? No more hints, no more
vague upbraidings--out with it at once--what do you charge me with?"

Ralph did not speak, there was a grandeur of passion in the man that
held him silent.

"In the name of God, speak!" cried the brother, "you are killing me."

He spoke truly; no human strength could long have withstood the strain
of anxiety that cramped his features almost into half their size, and
made his strong hands quiver like reeds.

"In the name of God, speak!" he cried out again; "of what do they charge
me?"

"I charge you," said Ralph, in a faltering voice, for the power of that
man's innocence was upon him as he spoke; "I charge you with the ruin of
the purest and noblest"--

"Ruin!--who dares"----

"Yes, ruin--has she not left my father's roof, followed you into this
miserabl