r that she could not join her own bankrupt fortunes to the
fortunes of one who was both poor and a spendthrift; and thus she
had plucked from her heart the picture of the man she had loved,--or
endeavoured so to pluck it. Some love for him, however, had
unwittingly lingered there. And then Herbert had come with his suit,
a suitor fitted for her in every way. She had not loved him as she
had loved Owen. She had never felt that she could worship him, and
tremble at the tones of his voice, and watch the glance of his
eye, and gaze into his face as though he were half divine. But she
acknowledged his worth, and valued him: she knew that it behoved her
to choose some suitor as her husband; and now that her dream was
gone, where could she choose better than here? And thus Herbert had
been accepted. He had been accepted, but the dream was not wholly
gone. Owen was in adversity, ill spoken of by those around her,
shunned by his own relatives, living darkly, away from all that is
soft in life; and for these reasons Clara could not wholly forget her
dream. She had, in some sort, unconsciously clung to her old love,
till he to whom she had plighted her new troth was in adversity,--and
then all was changed. Then her love for Herbert did become a passion;
and then, as Owen had become rich, she felt that she could think of
him without remorse. He was quite right in perceiving that his chance
was gone now that Herbert had ceased to be rich.

"Owen," said Herbert, and his voice was full of tenderness, for at
this moment he felt that he did love and pity his cousin, "we must
each of us bear the weight which fortune has thrown on us. It may
be that we are neither of us to be envied. I have lost all that men
generally value, and you--."

"I have lost all on earth that is valuable to me. But no; it is not
lost,--not lost as yet. As long as her name is Clara Desmond, she
is as open for me to win as she is for you. And, Herbert, think of
it before you make me your enemy. See what I offer you,--not as a
bargain, mind you. I give up all my title to your father's property.
I will sign any paper that your lawyers may bring to me, which may
serve to give you back your inheritance. As for me, I would scorn to
take that which belongs in justice to another. I will not have your
property. Come what may, I will not have it. I will give it up to
you, either as to my enemy or as to my friend."

"I sincerely hope that we may be friends, but what you s