sentimental folly," said his sister, with some
earnestness.

"We have both made up our minds that the past is dead--why do you at
every moment rake up its ashes?"

"It is in some ways unfortunate that Enid should have chosen to love
you; but, as the matter stands, I cannot see that you have any other
choice than to marry her."

"What on earth makes you say so?"

"I thought that you would go through a good deal of unpleasantness for
the sake of saving her from trouble. You have said as much."

"I have no right to save her from anything. She must forget me."

"That is sheer nonsense--cowardly nonsense too!" said Mrs. Vane. "If
Enid were on the brink of a precipice, would you hesitate to draw her
back? I tell you that she is breaking her heart for you, and that, if
you are free to marry, and not inordinately selfish, your only way out
of the difficulty is to marry her."

"She would get over it."

"No; she would die as her mother died--of a broken heart."

"You can speak so calmly, remembering who killed her mother--for what
you and I are responsible!"

"Look, Hubert--if you cannot speak calmly yourself, you had better not
speak at all. You seem to think that I am cold and callous. I suppose I
am; and yet I am more anxious in this matter to keep Enid from grief and
pain than you seem to be. I do not like to see her looking pale and
sad. I would do anything within my power to help her, and I thought--I
thought that you would do the same. It seems that you shrink from the
task."

"It is so horrible--so unnatural! How can I ask her to be mine--I, with
my hands stained----"

"Hush! I will not have you say those words! We both know--if we are to
speak of the past--that it was an honorable contest enough--a fair
fight--a meeting such as no man of honor could refuse. You would have
fallen if he had not. It is purely morbid, this brooding over the
consequences of your actions. Everybody who knew the circumstances would
have said that you were in the right. I say it myself, although at my
own cost. To marry Enid now because she loves you will be the only way
you can take to repair the harm that was done in the past and to shield
her for the future."

It was not often that Florence spoke so long or so energetically; and
Hubert, in spite of his revolt of feeling at the prospect held out to
him, was impressed by her words. After a few moments' silence, he sat
down again and began to argue the matter with her from every