Hugh, when I loved you."

"You are proving your love"--with the utmost bitterness; but she
answered him with the same gentleness.

"You are still angry with me. Well, I must bear your anger; it will
only make it all a little harder for me. If you could have said a word
that would have helped me to bear it--but no--you are too unhappy; by
and by you will do me justice."

"I am not a saint like you," he answered, harshly; "I have a man's
feelings. You have often told me I am passionate and willful--well,
you were right."

"Yes, you were always willful, Hugh; but you have never been cruel to
me before; it is cruel to doubt my love because my duty compels me to
give you up. Ah," with a sudden passionate inflection in her voice,
"do you know of what self-sacrifice a woman can be capable? for your
dear sake, Hugh, I am content to suffer all my life, to stand aside
and be nothing to you--yes, even to see another woman your wife, if
only you will be brave and true to yourself, if you will live your
life worthily. Will you promise me this, Hugh?"

"I will promise nothing," was the reckless answer; "I will take no lie
upon my lips even to please you, Margaret."

"Then it must be as God wills," she returned with white lips; "this
pain will not last forever. One day we shall meet where it will be no
sin to love each other. Good-bye until then, Hugh--my Hugh."

"You are not leaving me, Margaret," and Hugh's arms held her strongly;
but the next moment they had dropped to his side--she had stooped and
kissed him on the forehead, and the touch of those cold lips seemed
his death-warrant; the next moment he was alone, and Margaret was
walking swiftly along the little path hollowed out of the cliff. The
sunset clouds had long ago faded, and only a gray sky and sea
remained.

Half an hour later, as Margaret turned in at the gate of the Grange, a
dark figure standing bare-headed under the trees came in groping
fashion to meet her.

"Is that you, Margaret?"

"Yes, it is I," and Margaret stood still and motionless until Raby
touched her.

"Have you seen him, dear?"

"Yes, it is all over." And then she said a little wildly, "I have done
my duty, Raby; I have broken his heart and my own;" but even as she
spoke, Raby took her in his arms and low words of blessings seemed to
falter on his lips. "My brave sister, but I never doubted for a moment
that you would do the right thing. And now be comforted; the same
Divine Providence t