omes full of fear and doubt about his reception."

Margaret hung her head, feeling that it was well she was reminded what
reason there was for his coming with doubt and trembling in his heart.

"As he comes full of fear and doubt," resumed Hope, "I must tell you
first that he never received your last letter, Margaret. He thought you
would not answer his. He thought you took him at his word about not
attempting explanation."

"What an unhappy accident!" cried Hester. "Who carried that letter?
How did it happen?"

"It was no accident, my dear. Mrs Rowland burned that letter."

Margaret covered her face with her hands; then, suddenly looking up, she
cried:

"Did she read it?"

"No. She says she dared not. Why, Margaret, you seem sorry that she
did not! You think it would have cleared you. I have no doubt she
thought so too; and that that was the reason why she averted her eyes
from it. Yes, it was a cruel injury, Margaret. Can you forgive it, do
you think?"

"Not to-night," said Hester. "Do not ask it of her to-night."

"I believe I may ask it at this very moment. The happy can forgive. Is
it not so, Margaret?"

"For myself I could and I do, brother. I would go now and nurse her
child, and comfort her. But--"

"But you cannot forgive the wretchedness she has caused to Philip.
Well, if you each forgive her for your own part, there is a chance that
she may yet lift up her humbled head."

"What possessed her to hate us so?" said Hester.

"Her hatred to us is the result of long habits of ill-will, of selfish
pride, and of low pertinacity about small objects. That is the way in
which I account for it all. She disliked you first for your connection
with the Greys; and then she disliked me for my connection with you.
She nourished up all her personal feelings into an opposition to us and
our doings; and when she had done this, and found her own only brother
going over to the enemy, as she regarded it, her dislike grew into a
passion of hatred. Under the influence of this passion, she has been
led on to say and to do more and more that would suit her purposes, till
she has found herself sunk in an abyss of guilt. I really believe she
was not fully aware of her situation, till her misery of to-day revealed
it to her."

"Poor thing!" said Margaret. "Is there nothing we can do to help her?"

"We will ask Enderby. I take hers to be no uncommon case. The dislikes
of low and selfish minds general