A Hero of the Pen

Yet St

egant toilet; now the tall figure came to meet him in a dark mourning dress, in the centre of the old-fashioned, simply-furnished

isit you on my travels. Mr. Atkins assur

herwise no token, not even the slightest, betrayed that here was a pair of betrothed lovers, who met after a half year's separation. Both had

men, this girl of twenty years, who, in her opinion, should still take refuge under her aunt's maternal wing, and at the most, only now and then venture a timid remark. Jane, had simply transposed matters, and as

nce, for Atkins to give him an opportunity to be alone with Jane, but Atkins appeared to feel a lively satisfaction in his repressed vexation, and opened out the conversation to seemingly endless limits. The young American was not

tion-parlor, leaving Mr. Atkins to console the old lady for this new American freedom. Scarce had the door closed behind

to this awkward device! I cou

and which as before lay unresisting i

ner or later, have found an excuse for leaving us alone. It would of necessity hav

r. "You seem very much to fear lest Doctor Stephe

hope that h

it cannot b

and so much the more so as your stay

ar that I have especial reas

ght best to waive a subject th

hey are speaking of a po

should it come to that, I should naturally return to be at your side and con

y think that

you any o

iant gesture. "And yet, I think we

it had been your pride and your glory to call yourself a daughter of that count

vanish from her memory? 'We? Our Rhine?' These were indeed not her own words, and the remembrance of that moment when she had heard them so glowing, so

d persistently. "It seems that you have alread

nry! I feel myself, even here circumscribed, exasperated. My stay

ape Alison, who had always seen her so cold; but he interpreted it falsely; his eyes suddenly

pon me after a year's delay, and you fulfil my highest wish. In a few weeks the necessary formalities might be arrange

no! that is

morosely stepped back, "Impo

why

almost violent refusal rende

said gently, "and in this entire matter I si

ason exists no longer; and destiny, which after months of separation, has now united us, has done away with the other. If, during your year of mourning, you do not wish to marry, so be it. I will not urge you, but I implore,