And for me, what wilt thou do ?--reject me, bid me leave thee--and yet thou speakest of love: 'tis false, thou lovest another better!" "Ay!" replied Marie, in a tone which startled him, "ay, thou hast rightly spoken; thy words have recalled what in this deep agony I had well nigh forgotten.

There is a love, a duty stronger than that I bear to thee.

I would resign all else, but not my father's God." The words were few and simple; but the tone in which they were spoken recalled Arthur's better nature, and banished hope at once.

A pause ensued, broken only by the young man's hurried tread, as he traversed the little platform in the vain struggle for calmness.

On him this blow had fallen wholly unprepared; Marie had faced it from the moment they had parted fifteen months before, and her only prayer had been (a fearful one for a young and loving heart), that Stanley would forget her, and they might never meet again.