So went the time away, and toward the latter part of May and the
beginning of June I used to take the ladies out driving, hoping that
these new circumstances might elicit some show of cordiality in Marion.
But this proved a complete failure; for, the closer we were thrown
together, the greater seemed her shy reticence, her timid reserve, and
her soft and gentle yet persistent manner of keeping me at a distance.

And so, here was I. I had found my Lady of the Ice; yet no sooner had I
found her than she withdrew herself to an inaccessible height, and
seemed now as far out of my reach as on that eventful morning when I
sought her at the hut at Montmorency, and found that she had fled.

Spending so much time as I did at O'Halloran's, I did not see so much
of Jack as before; yet he used to drop in from time to time in the
morning, and pour forth the sorrows of his soul.

Marion's name he never mentioned. Either he had forgotten all about
her, which was not improbable; or the subject was too painful a one for
him to touch upon, which also was not improbable; or, finally, her
affair became overshadowed by other and weightier matters, which was in
the highest degree natural.

His first great trouble arose from the action of Miss Phillips.

He had gone there a second time to call, and had again been told that
she was not at home. He turned away vowing vengeance, but in the
following morning found that vengeance was out of the question; for he
received a parcel, containing all the letters which he had ever written
to Miss Phillips, and all the presents that he had ever given her, with
a polite note, requesting the return of her letters. This was a blow
that he was not prepared for. It struck home. However, there was no
help for it--so he returned her letters, and then came to me with all
kinds of vague threats.

Such threats, however, could not be carried out; and as for Miss
Phillips, she was quite beyond the reach of them. She accepted the
situation wonderfully well. She did more--she triumphed over it. In a
short time she had others at her feet, prominent among whom was Colonel
Blount--a dashing officer, a Victoria Cross, and a noble fellow in
every respect. Thus Miss Phillips revenged herself on Jack. She tossed
him aside coolly and contemptuously, and replaced him with a man whom
Jack himself felt to be his superior. And all this was gall and
wormwood to Jack. And, what was more, he was devoured with jealousy.

Th