l sense of
what the handsome young fellow opposite to him was saying in his rich,
pleasant voice, and urging as a request with more warmth than the
leech had given him credit for. Philippus, of course, had heard of the
grandmother's lamentable revulsion of feeling against her grandchild,
and he thought Orion's wish to remove the little girl fully justified.
But, on learning that she was to be placed under Paula's care, he seemed
startled, and gazed at the floor in such sullen gloom that the other
easily guessed what was going on in his mind. In fact, the physician
suspected that the child was to serve merely as an excuse for the more
frequent meetings of the lovers. Unable to bury this apprehension in his
own breast he started to his feet, and was about to put it into words,
when Orion took the words out of his mouth, saying modestly but frankly,
with downcast eyes:

"I speak only for the child's--for Mary's sake. By my father's soul...."

But Philippus shook his head dismally, went up to his rival, and
murmured dully:

"For the sake of that child I am capable of doing or enduring a great
deal. She could not be better cared for than with Rufinus and Paula;
but if I could suppose," and he raised his voice, while his eyes took a
sinister and threatening expression, "if I could suppose that her sacred
and suffering innocence were merely an excuse...."

"No, no," said Orion urgently. "Again, on my sacred word, I assure you
that I have no aim in view but the child's safety; and, as we have said
so much, I will not stick at a word more or less! Rufinus' house is open
to you day and night, and I, if all turns out as I expect, shall ere
long be far from hence--from Memphis--from Paula. There is mischief
brewing--I dare say no more--an act of treachery; and I will try to
prevent it at the risk of my life. You, every one, shall no longer
have a right to think me capable of things which are as repulsive to
my nature as to yours. You and I, if I mistake not, strive for the same
prize, and so far are rivals; but why should the child therefor suffer?
Forget it in her presence, and that forgetting will, as you well know,
enhance your merit in her--her eyes."

"My merit?" retorted the other scornfully. "Merit is not in the balance;
nothing but the gifts of blind Fortune--a nose, a chin, an eye, anything
in short--a crime as much as a deed of heroism--that happens to make a
deep impression on the wax of a girl's soft heart. But cur