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CHAPTER II.

'And he himself, long gazing thereupon,
At last fell humbly downe upon his knee,
And of his wonder made religion.'-Faerie Queene.

HE next morning a letter came for

Thorgerd from Wilfrid. Katha

rine recognized the handwriting, and turned away, speechless. It was harder to her almost than anything that had happened to see Thorgerd open that letter, and to know for whom Wilfrid's heart was filled with regret and love.

Thorgerd read the letter, and then, with a face in which hope and sorrow struggled, gave it to Katharine, saying

'I told you he would see what was right, and do it.'

Not hearing a word of the remark, Katharine seized the letter, and read, searching all through it for one mention of her own name, one hint that he had thought of her:

'THORGERD, I wonder whether you will, when you see from whom this letter comes, fling it aside without deigning to look at it: if you did that, and afterwards washed your hands from the pollution of its touch, it would be less scorn than I deserve from you.

'Yet, if you read so far, unbend and hear me to the end-even if you spurn me when I have finished.

'Do not think I am going to insult you by trying to make an explanation,—oh, Thorgerd, there is none to give, except that I What? Since Wednesday night I

have been trying to find a name vile enough,

pitiful enough for myself; but I think it does not exist, unless it is Wilfrid Healey; that expresses all, does it not? In the future, when you hear or see something very horribly or unspeakably bad, you will think of me; you cannot help it, if ideas answer to names in your mind.

'I write, showing that I know you love me; but in the very act, I renounce all claim to your love. I know that from now that treasure is lost to me. I will never try to see you even, again.

'If I did not know you for what you are, I should not dare to address you thus; but you, Thorgerd, will know what I mean when I say that henceforth I'll live for you inasmuch as I may. By "you" I mean your memory, for you can now only be a memory

to me.

'I cannot write as I would. All I have said means nothing when I ask my heart what it is I would say.

But let me say this-before I knew you I believed in nothing; now I believe in you.

If you do not answer me, I shall know that

another impiety, long list which so I dare not

in writing this I added another desecration, to the stands opposite my name; ask you to reply; but if ; nay, it will not be; yet I must say to you that did you answer me, I should believe in goodness, mercy, pity.

'Katharine can leave me for a whim, and without a tear; but you I know what it cost you.

This is the last, the very last time you shall be troubled by any importunity, any word, from 'WILFRID HEALEY.'

He is

'Oh!' uttered Katharine, drawing in her breath as if she had been mortally wounded. 'That is too cruel. He is a fiend. not a man. Why do I love him? cannot I hate him and forget him?'

Why

She flung the letter down, not remembering a word except those which related to herself, and she went to the other room. At that moment the sight of Thorgerd was intolerable to her; she almost hated her.

Thorgerd, engrossed with her letter, scarcely heeded the departure of the other, but taking writing materials, sat materials, sat down and wrote an

answer to it.

If Wilfrid would do so much for her; if he meant what he said- ; she bethought herself of her conversation of the night before with Katharine, and wondered if her influence would be stronger than Louis Kay's.

MY FRIEND,-I believe in you yet. I trust you yet. Shall it be in vain? We have loved that is past. Do not degrade the memory of our love. To me it will ever be the most happy as well as the saddest memory of my heart. I ask you to do something for my sake. I do not say to you,