ased that hand the last tie between Sylvia and myself would be
broken.

Presently the hand was adroitly withdrawn, Mother Anastasia rose, and I
was left alone, sitting in the shadow of the tree.

XXXVII.

THE PERFORMANCE OF MY UNDER-STUDY.

On the next day, when Walkirk came back, I received him coolly. To be
sure, the time of his return was now of slight importance, but my manner
showed him that on general principles I blamed his delay.

I did not care to hear his explanations, but proceeded at once to state
the misfortunes which had befallen me. I told him in detail all that had
happened since I left the floating grocery. I did not feel that it was
at all necessary to do this, but there was a certain pleasure in talking
of my mishaps and sorrows; I was so dreadfully tired of thinking of
them.

As I told Walkirk of my interview with Mother Anastasia on the Maple
Ridge road, he laughed aloud. He instantly checked himself and begged my
pardon, but assured me that never had he heard of a man doing anything
so entirely out of the common as to make an appointment with a Mother
Superior to meet him under a tree. At first I resented his laugh, but I
could not help seeing for myself that the situation, as he presented it,
was certainly an odd one, and that a man with his mind free to ordinary
emotions might be excused for being amused at it.

When I had finished, and had related how Mother Anastasia had proved to
me that all possible connection between myself and Sylvia Raynor was now
at an end, Walkirk was not nearly so much depressed as I thought he
ought to be. In fact, he endeavored to cheer me, and did not agree with
Mother Anastasia that there was no hope. At this I lost patience.

"Confound it!" I cried, "what you say is not only preposterous, but
unfeeling. I hate this eternal making the best of things, when there is
no best. With me everything is at its worst, and it is cruel to try to
make it appear otherwise."

"I am sorry to annoy you," he said, "but I must insist that to me the
situation does not appear to be without some encouraging features. Let
me tell you what has happened to me since we parted."

I resumed the seat from which I had risen to stride up and down the
room, and Walkirk began his narrative.

"I do not know, sir," he said, "that I ever have been so surprised as
when I went on deck of the grocery boat, a short time before breakfast,
and found that you were not on board. Captain J