w his small form down on the chair, assuming his favorite
attitude, while he supported his right elbow with his left hand and
absent-mindedly held the fingers of the right hand near his lips as
though to support an imaginary cigar.

"Philip," said the invalid, embarrassed by the silence, "I envy you your
interest in books."

"You do?" Philip moved his right hand as he might have done in removing
a cigar from the mouth and turned to Phillida. "Why?"

"It saves you from being crushed by the immensities as you call them. I
suppose it has consoled you in many a trouble, and no doubt it has kept
you from the miseries of falling in love."

She laid her thin hand on the arm of her chair as she spoke.

"Kept me from falling in love," gasped Philip, aware that his
now-or-never had arrived, "how do you know that?"

"I never heard that you were in love with anybody. Excuse me if I have
trodden on forbidden ground."

"I have loved but one woman, and I'm such a coward that I never had the
courage to tell her," he said abruptly, at the same time restoring his
imaginary cigar to his mouth.

"That's a pity," she said.

"What a figure I'd cut as a lover! Little, lank, nervous, eccentric in
manner, peculiar in my opinions, lacking resolution to undertake
anything worth while, frittering away my time in gathering rare
books--what woman would think of me?"

"Philip, you have many excellent qualities, and I shouldn't wonder if
marriage would be good for you," said Phillida, in that motherly tone
that only a young woman can assume easily.

"You'd laugh at me as long as you live if I should tell you whom I have
dared to love without ever daring to confess." His face was averted as
he said this.

"You poor fellow," said Phillida, "you are always doubtful of yourself.
Come, I think you had better tell me; may be I can encourage you, and it
will give me something to think about and keep away thoughts that I
don't wish to think."

Philip drew a long breath and then said slowly and with a firm voice,
but with his eyes on the window fastenings:

"The woman I love and have loved for a long time is my Cousin Phillida."

"You are joking, Philip," said Phillida, but her voice died as she
spoke.

"Yes," said Philip, in his old desponding tone, "I knew it would seem
ridiculous to you. That's why I never spoke of it before."

He looked out of the window in silence, and presently became aware that
Phillida was weeping.

"O God! let