you."

Marrable, as he had walked up the hill,--and during all his thoughts,
indeed, since he had been convinced that the money was gone from
him,--had been disposed to think that his duty to Mary required him
to give her up. He had asked her to be his wife when he believed his
circumstances to be other than they were; and now he knew that the
life he had to offer to her was one of extreme discomfort. He had
endeavoured to shake off any idea that as he must go back to India it
would be more comfortable for himself to return without than with a
wife. He wanted to make the sacrifice of himself, and had determined
that he would do so. Now, at any rate for the moment, all his
resolves were thrown to the wind. His own love was so strong and was
so gratified by her love, that half his misery was carried away in an
enthusiasm of romantic devotion. Let the worst come to the worst, the
man that was so loved by such a woman could not be of all men the
most miserable.

He left the house, giving to her the charge of telling the bad news
to Miss Marrable; and as he went he saw in the street before the
house the man whom he had seen standing an hour before under the
gateway of the inn. And Gilmore saw him too, and well knew where he
had been.

CHAPTER XXX.

THE AUNT AND THE UNCLE.

Miss Marrable heard the story of the Captain's loss in perfect
silence. Mary told it craftily, with a smile on her face, as though
she were but slightly affected by it, and did not think very much on
the change it might effect in her plans and those of her lover. "He
has been ill-treated; has he not?" she said.

"Very badly treated. I can't understand it, but it seems to me that
he has been most shamefully treated."

"He tried to explain it all to me; but I don't know that he
succeeded."

"Why did the lawyers deceive him?"

"I think he was a little rash there. He took what they told him for
more than it was worth. There was some woman who said that she would
resign her claim; but when they came to look into it, she too had
signed some papers and the money was all gone. He could recover it
from his father by law, only that his father has got nothing."

"And that is to be the end of it."

"That is the end of our five thousand pounds," said Mary, forcing
a little laugh. Miss Marrable for a few moments made no reply. She
sat fidgety in her seat, feeling that it was her duty to explain to
Mary what must, in her opinion, be the inevitable