k to Johanna, and
took her hand in both of mine.

"Keep my secret," I said, earnestly, "you two. I will make Julia and my
mother happy. Do not mistrust me. This infatuation overpowered me
unawares. I will conquer it; at the worst I can conceal it. I promise
you Julia shall never regret being my wife."

"Martin," answered Johanna, determinedly, "if you do not tell Julia I
must tell her myself. You say you love this other girl with all your
heart and soul."

"Yes, and that is true," I said.

"Then Julia must know before she marries you."

Nothing could move Johanna from that position, and in my heart I
recognized its righteousness. She argued with me that it was Julia's due
to hear it from myself. I knew afterward that she believed the sight of
her distress and firm love for myself would dissipate the infatuation of
my love for Olivia. But she did not read Julia's character as well as my
mother did.

Before she let me leave her I had promised to have my confession and
subsequent explanation with Julia all over the following day; and to
make this the more inevitable, she told me she should drive into St.
Peter-Port the next afternoon about five o'clock, when she should expect
to find this troublesome matter settled, either by a renewal of my
affection for my betrothed, or the suspension of the betrothal. In the
latter case she promised to carry Julia home with her until the first
bitterness was over.

CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH.

A MIDNIGHT RIDE.

I took care not to reach home before the hour when Julia usually went to
bed. She had been out in the country all day, visiting the south cliffs
of our island, with some acquaintances from England who were staying for
a few days in St. Peter-Port. In all probability she would be too tired
to sit up till my return if I were late.

I had calculated aright. It was after eleven o'clock when I entered, and
my mother only was waiting for me. I wished to avoid any confidential
chat that evening, and, after answering briefly her fond inquiries as to
what could have kept me out so late, I took myself off to my own room.

But it was quite vain to think of sleep that night. I had soon worked
myself up into that state of nervous, restless agitation; when one
cannot remain quietly in one; room. I attempted to conquer it, but I
could not.

The moon, which was at the full, was shining out of a cloudless field of
sky upon my window. I longed for fresh air, and freedom, and mot