vigorous
life, and your dark fancies will dispel like mist in the summer's sun."

He shook his head sadly.

"Nothing can turn the curse aside now," he said, "only one thing could
ever have done so."

"And what is that?"

"If my son had lived and married, and children had been born to him,
then I should not be the last of my race, and the curse must go."

"But why may not you marry again?"

"I marry!" he exclaimed. "Man, much as I fear the horrible death that
I daily think about, I would rather bear it than that another woman
should take the place of my Alice. No, no, that can never be!"

"Then go out into the world and mix with your fellow creatures," I
said, "I believe that even this visit of mine will do you good."

"Your visit yesterday did do me good," he answered, "and I hope to see
you again soon. The old place shall ever be open to you. Come when
you like. I think you could make me forget some of the dark things of
life. But now about the publishing of these confessions. Can it be
done?"

For a time we talked the matter over, and after a while I drew him on
to converse about other things until he became comparatively cheerful.

II

Will and I finished our tour around the Cornish coast, and then I came
back to London, and made arrangements for the publication of the
manuscript which had been given to me for that purpose.

I had re-written all that was necessary, and had corrected the last
proof sheets from the printers, when I recollected that we were near
the date on which I had promised to go to Trewinion Manor. I must
confess that, sitting in my rooms in London, weary with the amount of
work I had done, the thought of spending a few days among the scenes in
which I had been led to take so much interest, was very fascinating to
me, and I eagerly began to make preparations for going.

Two days before the time for starting, I received the following
letter;--

"DEAR ----, I must ask you to delay your visit a little while--how long
I hardly know--yet. I have received information, which has every
evidence of being true, that my son is not dead. I have no time to go
into details now, but I pray God, ay, I even hope, that there is yet
happiness in store for me. Indeed, I feel like saying, with one of my
ancestors of whom you have read, 'There is no curse, God is love!'
Yet, I am naturally terribly anxious, and I leave Trewinion to-day to
verify the information, and please God to bring