tfulness--but
everything was altered now. He guided and directed the younger feet,
even though his own were faltering and slow.

Where they had gone no one seemed to know. Archie Weil received one
brief note from Mr. Fern thanking him again in touching phrase for his
many kindnesses, and saying that Daisy wished to add her most earnest
wish for his happiness. The letter said they were going away for some
time; but no more. He went one day to Midlands, hoping to learn
something from the servants, and found the home entirely deserted. A
neighbor told him a real estate agent near by had the keys, but that the
place was neither for sale nor to rent. The agent, when found, could add
nothing to his stock of information. Mr. Fern had merely mentioned that
he was going on a journey and asked to have a man sleep at the house
during his absence, as a precaution against robbery.

Mr. Weil saw Roseleaf two or three times, but the interviews were so
unsatisfactory that he felt them not worth repeating. The novelist told
him, as he had told Gouger, that he did not believe he had ever really
loved Daisy, and was actually relieved now that the strain was ended. No
persuasion could turn him from this statement, which he made rather in
explanation of his present course than as a defense of it. Gouger had
persuaded him that a love affair was necessary to develop his talents as
a writer. Before he knew what he was about, such an affair had been
precipitated upon him. He had felt its pleasures and pains to the
uttermost, and now it was ended. All that was left as a result was a
pile of MSS. which the critic pronounced wonderful. It was as if he had
been in a trance, or mesmerized. Henceforth he would confine his
writings to actualities or to poetic imaginings.

Talking with a man who held these views was not inspiring, to put it
mildly, and Archie reluctantly gave up all hopes of making Daisy Fern a
happy woman through this source. He had dreamed of unraveling the
mystery that surrounded her and placing the young couple again in the
position which, by some horrible mischance, had been so vitally changed
in the short space of one day. Though he still loved Daisy with all the
warmth of his nature, Archie had no thought of trying to win her for
himself. She had given the fullness of her innocent heart to Roseleaf
and he did not believe she was one to change her affections to another
so soon as this.

What had happened! What had happened! H