e
them are not often heroic.

As he entered the room he saw Mrs. Burton at once, and then looked round
quickly for her husband. "Harry," said she, "I am so glad to see you
once again," and she gave him her hand, and smiled on him with that
sweet look which used to make him feel that it was pleasant to be near
her. He took her hand and muttered some word of greeting, and then
looked round again for Mr. Burton. "Theodore is not here," she said, "he
thought it better that you and I should have a little talk together. He
said you would like it best so; but perhaps I ought not to tell you
that."

"I do like it best so--much best. I can speak to you as I could hardly
speak to him."

"What is it, Harry, that ails you? What has kept you away from us? Why
do you leave poor Flo so long without writing to her? She will be here
on Monday. You will come and see her then; or perhaps you will go with
me and meet her at the station?"

"Burton said that she was coming, but I did not understand that it was
so soon."

"You do not think it too soon, Harry; do you?"

"No," said Harry, but his tone belied his assertion. At any rate he had
not pretended to display any of a lover's rapture at this prospect of
seeing the lady whom he loved.

"Sit down, Harry. Why do you stand like that and look so comfortless?
Theodore says that you have some trouble at heart. Is it a trouble that
you can tell to a friend such as I am?"

"It is very hard to tell. Oh, Mrs. Burton, I am broken-hearted. For the
last two weeks I have wished that I might die."

"Do not say that, Harry; that would be wicked."

"Wicked or not, it is true. I have been so wretched that I have not
known how to hold myself. I could not bring myself to write to
Florence."

"But why not? You do not mean that you are false to Florence. You cannot
mean that. Harry, say at once that it is not so, and I will promise you
her forgiveness, Theodore's forgiveness, all our forgiveness for
anything else. Oh, Harry, say anything but that." In answer to this
Harry Clavering had nothing to say, but sat with his head resting on his
arm and his face turned away from her. "Speak, Harry; if you are a man,
say something. Is it so? If it be so, I believe that you will have
killed her. Why do you not speak to me? Harry Clavering, tell me what is
the truth."

Then he told her all his story, not looking her once in the face, not
changing his voice, suppressing his emotion till he came to the his