er?"

Clara made no reply, but the flush faded from her face and her lips
quivered slightly for a moment.

"From hearing two persons who were conversing about him make
disparaging remarks, you were led to break off that engagement."

The face of Clara grew still paler, but she continued silent.

"By one of them, I am authorized to tell you that all they said was in
mere jest. They knew you could hear what they said, and made the
remarks purposely for your ear, in order to have a little sport. They
never dreamed of your taking it so seriously."

A deep groan heaved the bosom of Clara; her head fell back, and her
body drooped nervelessly. Mrs. Mears extended her hands quickly and
saved her from falling to the floor.

"This, too, 'for the fun of it!'" she said to herself, bitterly, as she
lifted the inanimate body of the poor girl in her arms, and laid it
upon the sofa.

Without summoning any of the family, Mrs. Mears made use of every
effort in her power to restore the circle of life. In this she was at
last successful. When the mind of Clara had become again active, and
measurably calm, she said to her--

"It was a cruel jest, and the consequences have been most painful. But
I trust it is not yet too late to repair the wrong thus done, although
no compensation can be made for the suffering to which you have been
subjected."

"It is too late, Mrs. Mears--too late!" replied Clara, in a mournful
voice.

"Say not so, my dear young friend."

But Clara shook her head.

It was in vain that Mrs. Mears strove earnestly to lift up her drooping
heart. The calmness with which she had been able to bear the
destruction of all her hopes, because there had seemed an adequate
cause for the sacrifice she had made, was all gone now. There had been
no adequate cause for the sacrifice. Her lover was as excellent and
honourable as she at first believed him to be, and she had cast him off
on the authority of a heartless jest. To all that her friend could say,
she had but one reply to make--

"It is too late now!"

"Not too late, I trust," said Mr. Mears, a good deal disturbed by his
wife's relation of her interview with Clara. "I must ascertain where
Fisher is, and write to him on the subject. Did she say any thing that
led you to believe that she recognised the voices of the persons whom
she heard conversing? Do you think she suspects me in the matter?"

"I do not think she does."

"So much the better."

The effect upo