owards her, and an
arm stole gently round her waist, while a soft hand took up her tiny
fingers. Caterina felt an electric thrill, and was motionless for one
long moment; then she pushed away the arm and hand, and, turning round,
lifted up to the face that hung over her eyes full of tenderness and
reproach. The fawn-like unconsciousness was gone, and in that one look
were the ground tones of poor little Caterina's nature--intense love and
fierce jealousy.

'Why do you push me away, Tina?' said Captain Wybrow in a half-whisper;
'are you angry with me for what a hard fate puts upon me? Would you have
me cross my uncle--who has done so much for us both--in his dearest wish?
You know I have duties--we both have duties--before which feeling must be
sacrificed.'

'Yes, yes,' said Caterina, stamping her foot, and turning away her head;
'don't tell me what I know already.'

There was a voice speaking in Caterina's mind to which she had never yet
given vent. That voice said continually. 'Why did he make me love
him--why did he let me know he loved me, if he knew all the while that he
couldn't brave everything for my sake?' Then love answered, 'He was led
on by the feeling of the moment, as you have been, Caterina; and now you
ought to help him to do what is right.' Then the voice rejoined, 'It was
a slight matter to him. He doesn't much mind giving you up. He will soon
love that beautiful woman, and forget a poor little pale thing like you.'

Thus love, anger, and jealousy were struggling in that young soul.

'Besides, Tina,' continued Captain Wybrow in still gentler tones, 'I
shall not succeed. Miss Assher very likely prefers some one else; and you
know I have the best will in the world to fail. I shall come back a
hapless bachelor--perhaps to find you already married to the good-looking
chaplain, who is over head and ears in love with you. Poor Sir
Christopher has made up his mind that you're to have Gilfil.

'Why will you speak so? You speak from your own want of feeling. Go away
from me.'

'Don't let us part in anger, Tina. All this may pass away. It's as likely
as not that I may never marry any one at all. These palpitations may
carry me off, and you may have the satisfaction of knowing that I shall
never be anybody's bride-groom. Who knows what may happen? I may be my
own master before I get into the bonds of holy matrimony, and be able to
choose my little singing-bird. Why should we distress ourselves before
the t