hly and looking over his
shoulder at his companion as he pressed the button, "don't put any
heroics on it. There isn't enough of me to play such a part. Such talk
makes me feel myself more ridiculous than ever."

XL.

THE RESTORATION.

How many scores of devices for securing a conversation with Phillida,
Millard hit upon during the night that followed Gouverneur's visit, he
could not have told. He planned letters to her in a dozen different
veins, and rejected them all. He thought of appealing to Mrs. Callender
once more, but could not conceive of Mrs. Callender's overruling
Phillida. His mind perpetually reverted to Agatha. If only he might gain
her co-operation! And yet this notion of securing the assistance of a
younger sister had an air of intrigue that he did not like.

About nine o'clock the next morning there was handed to Mrs. Callender a
note from Millard inclosing an unsealed note which Mr. Millard desired
Mrs. Callender if she saw fit to hand to Miss Agatha. Mrs. Callender
gave it to Agatha without opening it.

AGATHA: I wrote to your mother the other day begging permission
to call on your sister, and received a reply expressing Miss
Callender's desire to avoid an interview. That ought to have put
an end to my hope of securing your sister's forgiveness, and for
a while it did. But on reflection I am led to believe that her
decision was based, not on a lack of affection for me, but on a
wrong notion of my feeling toward her. She probably believes
that I am actuated by gratitude for her attention to my
relatives, or by pity for her sufferings as an invalid. She
holds certain other erroneous notions on the subject, I think. I
give you the assurance with all the solemnity possible that my
devotion to her is greater to-day than ever. Her affection is
absolutely indispensable to my happiness. I will undertake to
convince her of this if I am once permitted to speak to her. Now
if you think that she would be the better for a renewal of our
old relations will you not contrive in some way that I may see
her this afternoon at three o'clock, at which hour I shall
present myself at your door?

I hope your mother will pardon my writing to you; persuasion
exerted by a sister has less the air of authority than that of a
parent. I leave you to show this letter or not at your own
discretion, and I put into your hands my whol