ge blot was the result. Of course it was Cyril, who was standing
at the door looking at him.

'Are you disengaged, Dr. Ross?'

'Yes--yes. Come in, my dear fellow, and shut the door.'

And then Dr. Ross jumped up from his seat and grasped the young man's
hand; but his first thought was, What would Audrey say when she saw him?
Could one night have effected such a change? There was a wanness, a
heaviness of aspect, that made him look ten years older. Somehow Dr.
Ross found it necessary to take off his spectacles and wipe them before
he commenced the conversation.

'My poor boy, what am I to say to you?'

'Say nothing, sir; it would be far better. I have come----' Here Cyril
paused; the dryness of his lips seemed to impede his utterance. 'I have
come to know your wishes.'

'My wishes!' repeated Dr. Ross in a pained voice; and then he put his
hand on his shoulder: 'Cyril, do not misjudge me, do not think me hard
if you can help it, but I cannot give you my daughter.'

He had expected that Cyril would have wrenched himself free from his
detaining hand as he heard him, but to his surprise he remained
absolutely motionless.

'I know it, Dr. Ross. There was no need to tell me that--nothing would
induce me to marry her.'

Then the Doctor felt as though he could have embraced him.

'Why should you think so meanly of me,' went on Cyril in the same heavy,
monotonous voice, as though he were repeating some lesson that he had
carefully conned and got by heart, 'as to suppose that I should take
advantage of her promise and yours? If you will let me see her, I will
tell her so. Do you think I would drag her down to my level--mine?'

'You are acting nobly.'

'I am acting as necessity compels me,' returned Cyril with
uncontrollable bitterness. 'Do you think I would give her up, even at
your command, Dr. Ross, if I dared to keep her? But I dare not--I dare
not!'

'Cyril, for my peace of mind, tell me this one thing--have I ever been
unjust to you in all our relations together?'

'No, Dr. Ross. I have never met with anything but kindness from you and
yours.'

'When you came to me five months ago and told me you loved my daughter,
did I repulse you?'

Then Cyril shook his head.

'But I was very frank with you. I told you even then that I had a right
to look higher for my son-in-law, but that, as you seemed necessary to
my girl's happiness, your poverty and lack of influence should not stand
in your way. When I said thi