mine, than for her, for whom either of us ought to make any
sacrifice in our power.

"The letters she wrote me are still in my possession. I own
they are very dear to me; they are all that remain of a
past, to which nothing in my future life can recall the
equal. I feel, however, that your right to them is greater
than my own, but I do not know how to part with them. I pray
you advise me in this. Say how you would act in a like
circumstance, knowing all that has occurred, and be assured
that your voice will be a command to your very devoted
servant,

"H.C.

"P.S.--When I began this letter, I was minded to say my
cousin should see it: on second thoughts, I incline to say
not, decidedly not."

When this base writer had finished writing he flung down the pen, and
said to himself, half aloud, "I'd give something to see him read this!"

With a restless impatience to do something--anything, he left the house,
walking with hurried steps to the little jetty where the boats lay.
"Where's my boat, Onofrio?" said he, asking for the skiff he generally
selected.

"The other signor has taken her across the lake."

"This is too much," muttered he. "The fellow fancies that because he
skulks a satisfaction, he is free to practise an impertinence. He knew I
preferred this boat, and therefore he took her."

"Jump in, and row me across to La Rocca," said he to the boatman. As
they skimmed across the lake, his mind dwelt only on vengeance, and
fifty different ways of exacting it passed and repassed before him. All,
however, concentrating on the one idea--that to pass some insult upon
Loyd in presence of the ladies would be the most fatal injury he could
inflict, but how to do this without a compromise of himself was the
difficulty.

"Though no woman will ever forgive a coward," thought he, "I must take
care that the provocation I offer be such as will not exclude myself
from sympathy." And, with all his craft and all his cunning, he could
not hit upon a way to this. He fancied, too, that Loyd had gone over to
prejudice the ladies against him by his own version of what had occurred
in the morning. He knew well how, of late, he himself had not occupied
the highest place in their esteem--it was not alone the insolent and
overbearing tone _he_ assumed, but a levity in talking of things
which others treated with deference, alike offensive to morals and
ma