palsied. Till
now the wrong had always appeared absolutely apart from the right; for
the first time she perceived that a great right might involve a lesser
wrong; and she was daunted. But she meant to fight out her fight wholly
within herself before she spoke with Adeline again.

That day Matt Hilary came over from his farm to see Wade, whom he found
as before, in his study at the church, and disposed to talk over
Northwick's letter. "It's a miserable affair; humiliating;
heart-sickening. That poor soul's juggle with his conscience is a most
pathetic spectacle. I can't bring myself to condemn him very fiercely.
But while others may make allowance for him, it's ruinous for him to
excuse himself. That's truly perdition. Don't you feel that?" Wade
asked.

"Yes, yes," Matt assented, with a kind of absence. "But there is
something else I wanted to speak with you about; and I suppose it's this
letter that's made it seem rather urgent now. You know when I asked you
once about Jack Wilmington--"

Wade shook his head. "There isn't the least hope in that direction. I'm
sure there isn't. If he had cared anything for the girl, he would have
shown it long ago!"

"I quite agree with you," said Matt, "and that isn't what I mean. But if
it would have been right and well for him to come forward at such a
time, why shouldn't some other man, who does love her?" He hurried
tremulously on: "Wade, let me ask you one thing more! You have seen her
so much more than I; and I didn't know--Is it possible--Perhaps I ought
to ask if _you_ are at all--if _you_ care for her?"

"For Miss Northwick? What an idea? Not the least in the world! _Why_ do
you ask?"

"Because _I_ do!" said Matt. "I care everything for her. So much that
when I thought of my love for her, I could not bear that it should be a
wrong to any living soul or that it should be a shadow's strength
between her and any possible preference. And I came here with my mind
made up that if you thought Jack Wilmington had still some right to a
hearing from her, I would stand back. If there were any hopes for him
from himself or from her, I should be a fool not to stand back. And I
thought--I thought that if you, old fellow--But now, it's all right--all
right--"

Matt wrung the hand which Wade yielded him with a dazed air, at first. A
great many things went through Wade's mind, which he silenced on their
way to his lips. It would not do to impart to Matt the impressions of a
cold and