believe this or that, or become what is called "religious," but if you have learned for my sake to believe in goodness, do not lose that belief. Hold it fast, and if you do keep it even for a year, you shall find it twice as strong at the end of that year as when you first had it.

'Your conscience tells you what you should do, and what you should not do or what you call your conscience I know not what it is. Obey that voice, it is the one thing I ask; if you will do so, my suffering shall be willing suffering.

'You speak of Katharine with harshness. Believe me, she will never know one moment's peace until you are reconciled with her.

Now I say farewell, and I mean it. Fare
Think sometimes, not of me, but

you well!

of what I have asked you.

'THORGERD.'

When she had folded up her letter, she prayed within herself that it might not fall dead and barren upon his mind.

Katharine, when she came out of her room again, had struggled with and overcome the brief, torturing spasm of jealousy. She came to the table and asked

་

Have you answered him, Thorgerd?'

Yes.

said?'

Will you read what I have

'It

'No,' said Katharine, after a pause. is your parting; I will not read it; but if you have not fastened it up, I should like to put in put in one or two lines from myself.'

Thorgerd opened the letter, and Katharine

wrote

'Your words about me have taught me how useless all my anguish has been; yet, Wilfrid, for the sake of our two lives passed together, for all that I have suffered for you, tell me what I can do to be reconciled with you.

My heart is bleeding: so long as I am at enmity with you, I shall not know one Oh, Wilfrid, be kind-no

moment's peace.

one will ever love you as does your sister KATHARINE.'

CHAPTER III.

'Then there will be unity, and the conquering passion will proclaim peace where it has made a solitude.'-THEODORE PARKER.

D

ILFRID received the joint letter of
Katharine and Thorgerd the next

morning.

Kay came.

In the evening Louis

He was conducted to Wilfrid,

who sat alone, smoking.

A change had passed over both the men; perhaps not so very apparent until they looked up and spoke, and then you saw it distinctly.

Wilfrid was pale-so he was always; but now his face looked worn and pallid. All the bluster (it had not been very much) had disappeared from his manner, and there was

left a still, almost subdued composure, which might easily have passed for indifference. Indeed, he was indifferent now to most things. But it was not mere indifference: examine closer, and you saw in the languor of movement in the careless lowness of voice and the listless gaze that he was

weary.

Louis looked as if he had been severely 'punished.' You saw at once that a fiery trial beset him. He looked haggard and ill; and there was an unpleasantly eager misery in his eyes. Whatever his sins, his suffering had certainly been about as great as he could well bear.

'Good evening,' said Wilfrid, just glancing at him, and not rising. 'There's a chair. I can't ask you if you'd rather go to the ladies, as this is now a thoroughly bachelor establishment.'

'Have you heard anything about themKatharine and Miss Meredith?'