y in Bernardine's presence, and that
without her life would be but a blank to him. His love for Bernardine
became the one great passion of his life. Compared with her, all other
women paled into insignificance.

He fell, without knowing it, from a state of intense admiration into one
of blind adoration for her. He had never before trembled at a woman's
touch. Now, if his hand touched hers, he trembled as a strong tree
trembles in a storm.

Looking forward to the years to come, he saw no gleam of brightness in
them unless they were spent with the girl he loved.

Then came the awakening. He received a letter from Sally Pendleton, in
which she upbraided him for not writing. That letter reminded him that
he was not free; that before he had met Bernardine, he had bound himself
in honor to another.

He was perplexed, agitated. He loved Bernardine with his whole heart,
and yet, upon another girl's hand shone his betrothal-ring.

When the knowledge of his love for sweet Bernardine came to him, he told
himself that he ought to fly from her; go where the witchery of her
face, the charm of her presence, would never set his heart on fire; go
where he could never hear her sweet voice again.

"Only a few days more," he said, sadly. "I will come here for another
week, and then the darkness of death will begin for me, for the girl who
holds me in such galling chains will return to the city."

Why should he not see Bernardine for another week? It would not harm
her, and it would be his last gleam of happiness.

At this time another suitor for Bernardine's hand appeared upon the
scene. On one of his visits to the Moores' home he met a young man
there. The old basket-maker introduced him, with quite a flourish, as
Mr. Jasper Wilde, a wine merchant, and his landlord. The two men bowed
stiffly and looked at each other as they acknowledged the presentation.

Doctor Gardiner saw before him a heavy-set, dark-eyed young man with a
low, sinister brow. An unpleasant leer curled his thin lips, which a
black mustache partially shaded, and he wore a profusion of jewels which
was disgusting to one of his refined temperament.

He could well understand that he was a wine merchant's son. He certainly
gave evidence of his business, and that he had more money than good
breeding. The word _roue_ was stamped on his every feature.

Jay Gardiner was troubled at the very thought of such a man being
brought in contact with sweet Bernardine. Then the