e by thinking that any one has
influenced me. The fault is all my own. It is I myself have to ask your
forgiveness.'"

"Was there any coldness in your late letters? Was there anything that
she could construe into change of affection?"

"Nothing,--nothing."

"What will her father say to it?" said Tony, after a pause.

"She's afraid of that herself. You mind the words?--'If I meet
forgiveness from you, I shall not from others, and my fault will bear
its heavy punishment on a heart that is not too happy.' Poor thing! I
do forgive her,--forgive her with all my heart; but it's a great blow,
Tony."

"If she was a capricious girl, I could understand it, but that's what
she never was."

"No, no; she was true and honest in all things."

"It may be something about her father; he's an old man, and failing. She
cannot bear to leave him, perhaps, and it's just possible she could n't
bring herself to say it. Don't you think it might be that?"

"Don't give me a hope, Tony. Don't let me see a glimpse of light, my
dear friend, if there 's to be no fulfilment after."

The tone of emotion he spoke in made Tony unable to reply for some
minutes. "I have no right to say this, it is true," said he, kindly;
"but it's the nearest guess I can make: I know, for she told me so
herself, she 'd not go and be a governess again if she could help it."

"Oh, if you were to be right, Tony! Oh, if it was to be as you suspect;
for we could make him come out and live with us here! We've plenty of
room, and it would be a pleasure to see him happy, and at rest, after
his long life of labor. Let us read the letter over together, Tony, and
see how it agrees with that thought;" and now they both crouched down
beside the light, and read it over from end to end. Here and there were
passages that they pondered over seriously, and some they read twice
and even thrice, and although they brought to this task the desire to
confirm a speculation, there was that in the tone of the letter that
gave little ground for their hope. It was so self-accusing throughout,
that it was plain she herself laid no comfort to her own heart in the
thought of a high duty fulfilled.

"Are you of the same mind still?" asked M'Gruder, sadly, and with little
of hopefulness in his voice; and Tony was silent.

"I see you are not. I see that you cannot give me such a hope."

"Have you answered this yet?"

"Yes, I have written it; but it's not sent off. I kept it by me to read
o