suddenly
clenched, as he turned and walked once up the room and down again.

Agatha knew not what to say. Only a great love conscious of the extent
of its own sacrifice, would have had boldness to urge the like sacrifice
upon him.

Miss Valery's voice broke the troubled pause:

"You cannot start yet, Nathanael; you would have to apply to the
Government here. It would be impossible for you to leave under at least
a fortnight."

"Ah!" he sighed, momentarily relieved, which was but natural "Yet, how
wrong I am! for my poor uncle's sake I ought not to lose a day. Surely
there would be some way of hastening the time, if inquiries were to be
set on foot."

"I have made all that could be made; still, try yourself, though I fear
it is useless. The suspense is bitter, but what is inevitable must be
borne," said Anne, with the smile of one long used to the practice of
that doctrine. "And in a fortnight--a fortnight is a long time, Miss
Bowen?"

The smile, flitting to Agatha, took a cheerfulness which hitherto in
the sad subject of her talk Miss Valery had not displayed. A certain
benevolent meaning, which Agatha rather guessed at than discerned, was
likewise visible there.

"Come," said she, "for this night we can do nothing; but having settled
what we shall do, or rather what Mr. Harper will do, let us make
ourselves at rest. Be content, my dear Nathanael. Heaven will take care
of him for whom we fear."

Her voice trembled, Agatha fancied; and the young girl thought how full
and generous was this kind woman's sympathy! likewise how good Nathanael
must be to have awakened so deep a regard in such an one as Miss Anne
Valery.

The clock struck ten. "We are early folk in Dorsetshire; but as my
old servant Andrews has secured my lodgings close by (I am a very
independent woman, you see, Miss Bowen), if you will allow me, I should
like to sit another half-hour, and become a little better acquainted
with you."

Agatha gave her a delighted welcome, and astonished the Ianson family
by ordering all sorts of hospitalities. The three began to converse upon
various matters, the only remarkable fact being that no one inquired for
or alluded to a person, doubtless familiar to all--Frederick Harper. On
Agatha's part this omission was involuntary; he had quietly slipped
out of her thoughts hour by hour and day by day, as her interest in him
became absorbed in others more akin to her true nature.

But though every one tried to mai