ion for you to be so. You are very dear to me, and I
will be faithful to you always. You shall never have cause to complain."

"Yes, I know," she said gently. "You are very good, Hubert, and you
would not for the world do what you think to be a cruel thing. But would
it not be better for you to be perfectly open with me? If you care for
Cynthia West, would it not be better even for me that you should marry
the woman whom you love?"

She looked at him and saw his face twitch. Then he shook his head.

"This is folly, Enid, and I am really not strong enough to stand it. You
have no need to be troubled with doubts and fears, my little girl.
Cynthia West is as good and true as a woman can be; and I--I mean to
make you happy and do my duty as a man should do."

Enid smiled, but her eyes were filled with tears.

"Ah, Hubert, I am so glad that you say that!" she cried. Hubert looked
worried, tormented, anything but glad; but she went on: "I always
trusted you--always believed in you--and I was right. You would never be
untrue--you would never----"

"For Heaven's sake, Enid, stop!" said Hubert faintly. "I can't--I can't
bear this sort of thing!" And indeed he looked so ghastly that she had
to find smelling-salts and bring him some cold water to drink before she
could go on.

"I am very sorry," she said penitently, "and I will say what I have to
say very quickly, if you will let me. You will not acknowledge the
truth, I see, though it would be wiser if you would. You love Cynthia
West, and Cynthia loves you; and, though you are willing to keep your
word to me, you care for me only as a cousin and a friend. Is not that
really the truth?"

"My dear Enid, you are developing a wonderful amount of imagination and,
I may say, of courage!"

"I don't know about imagination," she said, smiling again; "but I think
that I have gained a great deal of courage since I saw you last. As you
will not set me free for your own sake, I must ask you to set me free
for mine. I cannot marry you, Hubert. Will you forgive me for breaking
my word?"

Her eyes shone so brightly, her smile was so sweet, that Hubert looked
at her in amazement. He had never seen her half so beautiful. She was
transfigured; for love and happiness had done their work, and made her
lovelier than she had ever been in all her life before.

"I am in earnest," she went on. "I have been false to you, Hubert
dear--and yet I never liked you so well as I like you now. I have