By Berwen Banks

"Oh, yes! but go on. Tell me about this Cardo Wynne."

"Well, it's a sad story. They were married; I married them without the

knowledge of the two opinionated old men--I hope I sha'n't fall too low

in your estimation, Miss Powell."

"Oh! no, no! go on, please. Every word you say is like water to a

thirsty man. They were married?"

"Yes, safe enough; and straight from the church porch they separated,

for he was leaving for Australia that afternoon at his father's earnest

request, with the idea of making peace between him and a brother whom

he had offended many years ago. Well, I heard no more of Cardo for

nearly two years, when I received a letter from him from Australia,

telling me of the series of misfortunes which had detained him there so

long. First of all, a serious attack of typhoid fever, and a blow on

the head which occasioned concussion of the brain. He was carried

unconscious to a hospital, and remained there many months, utterly

oblivious of all around him, as no operation had been attempted on his

skull, nobody knowing of the blow he had received. One of the visiting

doctors at the hospital took him home with him as an 'interesting

case,' and then he discovered the indented bit of bone which was

pressing upon the brain, and causing first the unconsciousness, and

afterwards a complete lapse of memory. Poor old Cardo! the jolliest

fellow in the world. What must he have felt when memory returned after

a successful operation, and he realised that Valmai and his father were

utterly ignorant of his whereabouts."

"Oh, stop, stop," said Gwladys, "oh! what shall I do? Mr. Ellis, I

dread to hear the end, and yet I must; go on, please."

"Well, it's very sad. Poor old Cardo returned home at once, and

finding Valmai gone from Abersethin made his way up here. Did you see

him?"

Gwladys could scarcely gasp "Yes!"

"Then no doubt you know how she repulsed him, and taunted him with

wilful desertion of her--desertion, indeed! that honest Cardo, whose

very soul was bound up in her! Had I not heard it from his own lips, I

could never have believed that Valmai would have used the words 'base

and dishonourable' to Cardo Wynne. He is broken-hearted, and really,

if she perseveres in this unwarranted indignation, I think it will kill

him; and that is why I wanted to see her, for I still believe there

must be some mistake."

"Mistake! yes, yes, a horrible mistake. She never saw him at all. It

was I who spoke those cruel words to him!"

"Miss Powell! you! how can I believe such a thing?"

"Yes, yes, you must believe," she said, wringing her hands, "it is I

who have broken my sister's heart--the sister whom I would die to save

a moment's pain." And she rose to her feet, though her limbs trembled

with excitement. "It is my turn now to tell my story, and when I have

finished you will despise me, and you will have good reason."