equal share of the good and bad things of life, as they go
along. Now I haven't an idea but that the young fellow thought all was
up with him when he got the letter you left at the house."

"I should not wonder," said Caroline, and her bosom began to heave with
an after-swell of the indignation which had stormed it, when she left
Italy at an hour's notice. "It was a cruel thing. I never will forgive
you or Mr. Brown. A few hours would have made no difference, and he was
coming the next day."

"What then? If he was a teacher, Mr. Brown left his money, with two
months' overpay."

"His money!" repeated Caroline, with infinite scorn.

"If not money, what did he come for?" questioned the hand-maiden,
sharply.

"Eliza, you shall never think that--it degrades him and me. He never
touched--he never thought of money. If Mr. Brown left it, as you say, I
am sure he felt insulted."

"Then what did he come for?" inquired Eliza, with dry emphasis.

"Because--because he loved me, and could not live without seeing me,
because I--I--"

"Loved him," said the maid.

But Caroline had broken down wholly with this first passionate
confession. The poor girl sank to a couch, flushed all over with such
shame as only a woman of fine sensibilities can feel for that of which
she has no reason to be ashamed at all.

"Oh! Eliza, how can you be so cruel?" she exclaimed, dropping her hands,
and revealing a face of crimson, wet with tears. "I never meant to keep
it from you."

"Of course, you never meant it, and you didn't do it, which is more. You
supposed I didn't know. Men may be blind as bats--they usually are; and
our Brown is worse than the commonality. But trust an old maid for
spying out a love secret. It's like exploring a strange land for her,
you know. Lord! Miss Carry, you can't keep a secret from Eliza Casey;
but then, why should you? Isn't she bound to be your staunch friend
forever and ever?"

These words opened a new source of anxiety to the really unhappy girl,
who forgot her love-shame, and plunged at once into a new subject.

"Oh! Eliza, if you could help me. Madame is determined. That is, she
wishes me to go on the stage."

"Well, you have been told that from the first."

"I know--I know; but it seemed so far off then, like death, or any other
evil that you know will come, but cannot tell when. But now she says it
must be at once. Oh! Eliza, I never can do it. The very fear of it makes
me shudder."

"But why?