nctly as to her future. It
is not be supposed that she did that altogether, but she acknowledged
that her views of life and duty had somewhat changed, and she feared it
would not be for their mutual happiness to renew her engagement with Mr
Maxwell. A little note to that effect was inclosed in her father's
letter which had reached him this morning, and certainly the minister
had lost no time.

If Elizabeth hesitated to answer the question which came next, it was
not for a reason that seemed to trouble the questioner much. She was
not sure that she would make a good minister's wife--and especially she
was not sure that she would make a good minister's wife for Gershom.
But all that was put aside for the present. She was not afraid to trust
her happiness in the hands of her friend. She was willing to share his
life and his labours, and to do what she could to aid him in his work.
And with that her friend was well content.

When he said something of the inequality of their relations to each
other, because of that which she possessed, she declared herself willing
to let all that pass into the hands of her brothers, and to share the
parsonage and comparative poverty with him. Whether she was showing her
usual wisdom and prudence in making such a declaration, there was no one
there to decide, and when the right time came for the decision it was
not left in her hands.

Clifton did not return home triumphant, as Elizabeth had never doubted
that he would. He was well pleased to hear all she had to tell him of
the new happiness that had come into her life; but he had nothing to
tell her in return. By and by she heard, through Mr Maxwell, that Miss
Langden had gone with her aunt to pass at least a year in Europe, and
then Clifton told her that he had known her plans all along. He said
little about his disappointment, indeed he did not acknowledge himself
disappointed. But he did not succeed in concealing it from Elizabeth.
He went on as usual with all that he had to do, with no less interest
and energy, and with no less success than before.

Mr Langden paid a visit to Gershom in the following spring, and there
was perfect confidence and satisfaction between him and Clifton as far
as business relations were concerned. And hearing his daughter's name
frequently mentioned by him, and taking some other things into
consideration, Elizabeth could not but hope that in good time all things
would end as her brother desired,