ot despise!" And he turned to go.

"I do not despise you; I think you a generous, high-hearted
gentleman--nobleman in all senses."

Scoutbush turned again.

"But, again, impossible! I shall always respect you; but we must never
meet again."

She held out her hand. Little Freddy caught and kissed it till he was
breathless, and then rushed out, and blundered over Sabina in the next
room.

"No hope?"

"None." And though he tried to squeeze his eyes together very tight,
the great tears would come dropping down.

Sabina took him to a sofa, and sat him down while he made his little
moan.

"I told you that she was in love with the American."

"Then why don't he come back and marry her! Hang him, I'll go after
him and make him!" cried Scoutbush, glad of any object on which to
vent his wrath.

"You can't, for nobody knows where he is. Now do be good and patient;
you will forget all this."

"I shan't!"

"You will; not at first, but gradually; and marry some one really more
fit for you."

"Ah, but if I marry her I shan't love her; and then, you know, Mrs.
Mellot, I shall go to the bad again, just as much as ever. Oh, I was
trying to be steady for her sake!"

"You can be that still."

"Yes, but it's so hard, with nothing to hope for. I'm not fit to take
care of myself. I'm fit for nothing, I believe, but to go out and be
shot by those Russians; and I'll do it!"

"You must not; you are not strong enough. The doctors would not let
you go as you are."

"Then I'll get strong; I'll--"

"You'll go home, and be good."

"Ain't I good now?"

"Yes, you are a good, sensible fellow, and have behaved nobly, and I
honour you for it, and Claude shall come and see you every day."

That evening a note came from Scoutbush.

"DEAR MRS. MELLOT--Whom should I find when I went home, but Campbell?
I told him all; and he says that you and everybody have done quite
right, so I suppose you have; and that I am quite right in trying to
get out to the East, so I shall do it. But the doctor says I must
rest for six weeks at least. So Campbell has persuaded me to take the
yacht, which is at Southampton, and go down to Aberalva, and then
round to Snowdon, where I have a little slate-quarry, and get some
fishing. Campbell is coming with me, and I wish Claude would come too.
He knows that brother-in-law of mine, Vavasour, I think, and I shall
go and make friends with him. I've got very merciful to foolish lovers
lately, and Claude c