ing something of her, in order to satisfy my hungry heart. He
never revealed the fact of my existence to any one, however, although
he managed to learn that my darling was happy, growing up to be a pure
and lovely girl, as well as a great comfort to her adopted parents,
and with nothing to mar her future prospects. Of course such tidings
were always gleams of great comfort to my sad and quiet life, and I
tried to be satisfied with them--tried to be grateful for them. But,
oh! since the death of my parents, I have yearned for her with an
inexpressible heart-hunger--"

A sob of pain burst from the beautiful woman's lips and interrupted
her narrative at this point.

But she recovered herself almost immediately, and resumed:

"A year or two after I was left alone I happened to meet your former
friend, Will Forsyth, and from him learned that I had always been your
legal wife, and that he had sent you proofs of the fact, about a year
after your desertion of me.

"This astonishing intelligence animated me with a new purpose, and I
resolved that I would seek the world over for you, and demand that
proof from you.

"I returned immediately to this country and established myself in New
York, where, Mr. Forsyth told me, he thought you were residing. Soon
after my arrival I learned, to my dismay, that Mr. Allandale had
recently died, leaving his family in a destitute condition. This
knowledge changed my plans somewhat; I gave up my quest for you, for
the time, and began to search for my old friend who, for eighteen
years, had been a mother to my child. I had no intention of
interrupting the relations between them--my only thought was to
provide for their future in a way to preclude the possibility of
their ever knowing the meaning of the word poverty. But my utmost
efforts proved unavailing--I could learn nothing of them; but I
finally did get trace of you, and two months ago came on to Boston,
determined to face you and compel you to surrender to me the
certificate of our marriage."

"Ha! did you expect that I would yield to you?" questioned Gerald
Goddard, a note of defiance in his voice.

"Certainly--I knew I could compel you to do so."

"Indeed? You were sanguine! By what arguments did you expect to
achieve your desire? How could you even prove that I had such a
paper?"

"I do not know that I could have proven that you possessed the
certificate," quietly responded Mrs. Stewart; "but I could at least
prove that such