se to him than as a
brother, as the betrothed of your cousin. I know that you have never
loved him, and pardon my error. When I sought you just now, it was to
say good-by, and in absence and varied and exciting pursuits to shut
out from my heart the memory of my hopes and fears. Mary, your words
fill me with inexpressible anguish! Oh, you cannot know how blank and
dreary earth will seem when you are gone! I shall have no hope, no
incitement, no joy!"

As she listened to this confession, which a month before would have
brought the glow to her cheek and sparkle to her eye, she felt that
it came too late; still a perfect joy stole into her heart. She turned
her face toward him, and gently said:

"I am dying; and, feeling as I do, that few hours are allotted me, I
shall not hesitate to speak freely and candidly. Some might think me
deviating from the delicacy of my sex; but, under the circumstances, I
feel that I am not. I have loved you long, and to know that my love
is returned, is a source of deep and unutterable joy to me. You were
indeed wrong to suppose I ever regarded Mr. Stewart otherwise than as
Florry's future husband. I have never loved but one."

"Mary, can it be possible that you have loved me, when I fancied, of
late, that indifference, and even dislike, nestled in your heart? We
shall yet be happy! I thank God that we shall be so blest!" And he
pressed the thin hand to his lips.

"Do not deceive yourself. Your confession has come too late. I can
never be yours, for the hand of death is already laid upon me, and
my spirit will wing its way, ere long, home to God. Now that we
understand each other, and while I yet live, let us be as calm, as
happy as the circumstances allow. It may seem hard that I should be
taken when the future appears so bright, but I do not repine, neither
must you. God, ever good and merciful, sees that it is best I should
go, and we will not embitter the few hours left us by vain regrets."
Too feeble to speak more, she closed her eyes, while her breathing
grew painfully short.

Dr Bryant bent forward, and gently lifting her head, supported her
with his strong arm, and stroked off from her beautiful brow the
clustering hair. A long time she lay motionless, with closed eyes, and
bending his head, he pressed a long kiss on the delicately-chiseled
lips.

"O God! spare me my gentle angel Mary," he murmured, as looking on the
wan, yet lovely face, he felt that to yield her up was more t