silent."

"I don't think that I understand you distinctly," my friend said, his
face slightly flushing under a suspicion of her meaning.

"Do you wish to comprehend me?" she said, and her face was cast down
while she asked the question.

Fred hesitated for a moment, and only for a moment. He glanced towards
me and saw that I was watching the struggle that was going on in his
mind, and his decision was instantly formed.

"We must not pursue this subject further," he said. "Believe me, it is
better that we should not; for the sake of Mr. Herrets, and your own
sake, do not ask me more questions."

"One word," she cried, hurriedly, as Fred turned away, and it seemed as
though she could no longer control her emotion; "do you wish me to marry
that man?" she demanded, with an earnestness that showed how much she
had at stake.

"I do," he answered; and without waiting for another question he joined
us.

The girl turned deadly pale, and for a few seconds was silent; but she
rallied at length, and signified that she was ready to vow to love and
cherish a man that I knew she had already commenced hating in her heart,
and looked upon as the author of her misery. The clergyman, who was
impatient to get his dinner, soon united the parties, and we saluted the
bride.

"Let me go," she exclaimed, as her husband folded her in his rough
embrace and covered her face with kisses. "Let me go, for I stifle in
this place."

"Take your wife home," I said, "and be a kind husband to her. She will
need all your care and attention."

They left the store, and I breathed a sigh of gratitude at the result.
Fred's face, however, looked black and threatening, as though he was not
entirely satisfied with his course.

"We have played a mean part in that marriage," he said, at length, "and
I don't feel that I have acted justly. The girl detests her husband, and
you know it."

"Of course I do," I replied, with great nonchalance; "but that is
something she will outgrow in a few days, and if she does not he alone
is to blame."

"I am not so sure of that," he replied, gloomily.

"Neither am I, but it will not affect your position or mine. We have
done the best that we could, under the circumstances, to keep her
honest, and I will ask you, in all candor, if she would have been
virtuous ten days from hence had she lived under this roof?"

He did not answer me, but lighted his pipe and puffed away in silence.

"The girl liked you," I continu