By Berwen Banks

"Never!" he said, "I can never feel anything towards you but--but--what

I must not dare to tell you."

A vivid blush swept over Gwladys's face; but the troubled look

returned, as Ellis, gently taking her hand, led her back to the log of

wood, and sitting beside her, said: "Now, tell me everything."

"I must go a long way back," she said, "and begin with my own

uninteresting affairs. You know that Mrs. Power looks upon me as her

own daughter, and has expressed her intention of leaving me all her

money. Money! hateful money! the one thing I never cared about. I

should be happier far in a little cottage than I am here surrounded by

all these luxuries--it is true, Mr. Ellis, my tastes are simple."

"Certainly, you would grace a cottage or a palace alike," he said,

almost under his breath; "but we must all accept the position in which

we are placed, and do our best in that."

"Well," resumed Gwladys, "I have had three proposals of marriage, and

on each occasion my aunt pressed me to accept the offer. I refused to

do so, unless I were allowed time and opportunity to make the most

exhaustive inquiries as to my disinterested lover's antecedents. My

heart not being touched, I was able to do so dispassionately, and in

each case I discovered something dishonourable in their characters.

One I found was on the brink of pecuniary ruin, I therefore considered

I had a right to think he loved my fortune and not myself. The next,

though a man of honour and probity, I found had such an ungovernable

temper that his own sisters failed to live with him. The third was a

widower. He had broken his wife's heart by his cruelty, and since her

death his life had been one long scene of dissipation. Was it any

wonder that I rejected them all? and learnt to distrust and almost to

hate every man?

"When Valmai came here I soon found out enough of her story to prove to

me, as I thought, that she had been weak where I had been strong; that

she had given her heart, with all its precious love, to one of the same

type of manhood as it had been my ill-fortune to meet; and when, one

evening as I walked here by the lake, a young man followed me and

addressed me as Valmai, the only feeling that rushed into my mind and

possessed my whole being might be expressed in these words--'Here is

the murderer of my sister's happiness; at any risk I will keep him from

her. She is happy and calm now; he shall never again disturb her peace

of mind, if I can help it.' "He was so completely under the illusion that I was Valmai that I had

no occasion to tell a lie, and I only spoke the truth when I told him

that I hated him, and that my greatest desire was never to see his face

again. He was wounded to the quick. I saw it, I realised it all, and,

oh, I felt for him, for there was something open and winsome about

him--something that tempted me to trust him; but I hardened my heart,

and I added him to my list of unworthy men. I left him here and went

into the house, feeling utterly miserable; but I comforted myself with

the thought that I had done Valmai good service. And now--oh, now!--I

am more miserable than ever; for I see what harm I have done. I meant

to do good, Mr. Ellis, believe me. I thought I was doing dear Valmai a

real kindness, and now what shall I do? I have ruined her hopes of

happiness, and I have lost your good opinion and friendship."