Father Stafford

is Moved to

which many people are compelled to do work, which they give you to understand is not the most suited to their genius, and it must be admitted that, although their words are foolish, not to say insincere, yet their deeds are sensible. There can be no mistake about the income, and there often is about the genius. Mor

did not paint anything that the ordinary person cared to see, or in the way in which it would appear to such person. But he was greatly pleased with his work;

these hundred years; and that's the best bit

succeeded in tracing it back to the putative parentage of Lord Verulam, when, to

rewood, I feel my bodily appearance l

he world did y

and part of Stafford's treatment for himself

aying ne

healt

for h

ou. How are you? You don

He was, in spite of it being the country and very hot, dress

some l

ord s

enough for o

ense,

y; I never

nking, while Morewood was undoubtedly eat

ather suddenly

es

nt

know why I wen

tting it, I do. But most p

ot in that way. Of cours

t he

did me a

id, and I'm glad t

hy

," said Morewood, rapidly recover

s, to pursue the subject. The regime

ean by coming

when he finds he's in love-bar

tha

before now, and it was damned bad luck. So here I am, a mu

bore you

like

o say, of course you don'

n't think any the be

my vow? I suppos

ee to that, though I think I did ask the Bishop of Bellminster to, I d

n't say so. I took a vow never to marry-there we

el

ou won't marry till you want to is n

could manage

ford, with a smile, "is now

omises. That's

sing me to m

ou to throw up

you don't beli

prob

d all I believe and

o you

ow to him-had so proclaimed before men, had so lived and worked and striven! Supposing you thought a broken vow was death to your own soul and a trap to the souls of others-a baseness

ed in rapid and intense utterance; h

e beast in me-passion and desire rampant-man forsaken and God betrayed-my p

e and paced

ge? You say you knew

ill believ

week, I drove myself to doubt. I tried to doubt-I rejoiced

his vow you thi

I have said? Y

tter nonsense," sa

hen would your love-yes, and woul

d stood

it," he said, "in a ma

lmost as if he were amused, for his su

'd cut off my hand rat

cried Staffor

as touched

d, "it won't be so hard t

ove

will help you. You've

wore a look of

er felt belie

y years. Tha

you have be

have-half a

other," said Sta

to speak, but Staff

than the other. But why should I? I doubt if you would understand. You think you couldn'

his face gradually changed from its stern aspect to

with her still

ti

and at preaching, but, by Jove! If I thought

," said Stafford qui

ocked. But Stafford's morals,

he suggested at last, as tho

laughed

back to my priest

after

y goes back to his trade. As if it made the s

you are r

But she wi

u thin

t. If I doubted

oubt

; I dare s

ant to talk

hines. Well, Mr. Morewood, I am obliged to you for hearing me

lish. I'm no saint; but if a man believes in good, as

eld out his hand. "I'm going back to London t

aid Morewood, wit

to do with God

help you, if y

sweet smile. "In old days I should have liked your indigna

hou my good.

Why talk about it a

leaving Morewood alone to

when he sat after dinner in the parlor of his little inn, with his pipe and whisky and water. He was so full

town," he said, "but I'll

AR

h the same assertion and the same implication. He is convinced that if he breaks his vow (you remember it, of course) he'll be worse than Satan. Yet his face is set to break it. You probabl

ou

MORE

h London, and tarried a day or two in early October. He opened it, read it, a

-must our friend the painter go mad too? Not that I see he is

r, and sat pond

would be charitable to prevent him making a fool of himself. Why the d

e, and the next moment

I should find you. You can't kee

spring from?

went to America. Nothing moving there, so I

breakfast; as he did so he took up Mor

ut his American experiences. Only when he was t

ow's eve

or a more def

Territon

y. Haven

over there, you kn

ceive me? You have heard from at least

. We don't correspond

en't written

ourse

y n

shoul

evious question. Have you

wounds? Not

impudence! she

. But in case she ought, I'm

id she would; sh

I left no address, you know; and I had no difficulty in elu

derick

ght of that. She h

rth are you

t's a narrative; but I see I'm in for it. Sit sti

Ayre, not without honest pride

than I think, you'll find

sat ver

m overpleased, after

w. But, I say, is she i

think she is rather, you know, or sh

tempered by annoyance at Kate's insensibility. "But I'm

ought

annoyance. A sudden thou

oes Claud

pot. She must have known it a month; and what's

the sooner I sho

you off now? Do yo

Rick's sure to be there if she isn't, a

Have you heard from your

ell on Eug

st be, or he'd never hav

had set out to go to Claudia. What if he and Eugene met? Ayre had

w you a letter I've had," he said. "Mind yo

gene, with a smile. "We all un

etter over to hi

e exclaimed, jumping off the writin

ood seems

hall I do? Poor old Stafford! F

of you to

, Ayre, you don't think

hing

re's any chance that

or the other," said Ayr

oked very

to assume the girl is in love with you when she knew

ene; "but she knew old Stafford

u both wanted to marry her. I wonde

he sort about him. About me

, perhaps," asse

ke me I shall feel a brute, cutting in now. O

ortingly. "If you must get engaged at all, wh

don't show u

t; that i

ught to let him ha

mortal soul and all that for her sake, as like as not she'd take him. Depend upon it, Eugene

ort of thing to cat

continued Ayre, "Frend

fairs of love!'" quoted Eugene,

ake up your mind, and

ut I can't ask her without tell

she k

sn't, I

o the rest yourself. What the deuce do you all see in that parson? If I were your age, and t

d Eugene again. "Ayre,

ver. She's expected to hear from you this last month. I tel

to see her: when I get there I

n out to be such that you'll make love to Claud

ha

conscientious young ruffian, and

than a man of his creed had any business to be, retu