t more to one woman than to the other.
Hannah, watching him jealously, decided that at least Kate was not her
rival in his affections, and so Hannah and Kate became quite friendly.
Kate had a way of making much of her women friends when she chose, and she
happened to choose in this case, for it occurred to her it would be well
to have a friend in the town where lived her sister and her former lover.
There might be reasons why, sometime. She opened her heart of hearts to
Hannah, and Hannah, quite discreetly, and without wasting much of her
scanty store of love, entered, and the friendship was sealed. They had not
known each other many days before Kate had confided to Hannah the story of
her own marriage and her sister's, embellished of course as she chose.
Hannah, astonished, puzzled, wondering, curious, at the tragedy that had
been enacted at her very home door, became more friendly than ever and
hated more cordially than ever the young and innocent wife who had stepped
into the vacant place and so made her own hopes and ambitions impossible.
She felt that she would like to put down the pert young thing for daring
to be there, and to be pretty, and now she felt she had the secret which
would help her to do so.

As the visit went on and it became apparent to Hannah Heath that she was
not the one woman in all the world to Harry Temple, she hinted to Kate
that it was likely she would be married soon. She even went so far as to
say that she had come away from home to decide the matter, and that she
had but to say the word and the ceremony would come off. Kate questioned
eagerly, and seeing her opportunity asked if she might come to the
wedding. Hannah, flattered, and seeing a grand opportunity for a wholesale
triumph and revenge, assented with pleasure. Afterward as Hannah had hoped
and intended, Kate carried the news of the impending decision and probable
wedding to the ears of Harry Temple.

But Hannah's hint had no further effect upon the redoubtable Harry. Two
days later he appeared, smiling, congratulatory, deploring the fact that
she would be lost in a certain sense to his friendship, although he hoped
always to be looked upon as a little more than a friend.

Hannah covered her mortification under a calm and condescending exterior.
She blushed appropriately, said some sentimental things about hoping their
friendship would not be affected by the change, told him how much she had
enjoyed their correspondence, but gave