After a little, however, he rallied somewhat, and offered the

consolatory remark that "they were in a mighty bad fix. I'll be

honest," said he, "and confess that I depended upon that money to

set me up in business. I was going to shave notes, and in order to

do so I must have some ready, capital. It cramps me," he continued,

"for, as a married man, my expenses will necessarily be more than

they now are."

"We can defer our marriage," sobbed Maude, whose heart throbbed

painfully with every word he uttered. "We can defer our marriage a

while, and possibly a part of my fortune may be regained--or, if you

wish it, I will release you at once. You need not wed a penniless

bride," and Maude hid her face in her hands while she awaited the

answer to her suggestion. J.C. De Vere did love Maude Remington

better than anyone he had ever seen, and though he caught eagerly at

the marriage deferred, he was not then willing to give her up, and,

with one of his impetuous bursts, he exclaimed, "I will not be

released, though it may be wise to postpone our bridal day for a

time, say until Christmas next, when I hope to be established in

business," and, touched by the suffering expression of her white

face, he kissed her tears away and told her how gladly he would work

for her, painting "love in a cottage," with nothing else there,

until he really made himself believe that he could live on bread and

water with Maude, provided she gave him the lion's share!

J.C.'s great faults were selfishness, indolence, and love of money,

and Maude's loss affected him deeply; still, there was no redress,

and playfully bidding her "not to cry for the milkman's spilled

milk," he left her on the very day when Dr. Kennedy returned. Maude

knew J.C. was keenly disappointed; that he was hardly aware what he

was saying, and she wept for him rather than for the money.

Dr. Kennedy could offer no advice--no comfort. It had always been a

maxim of his not to make that man her guardian; but women would do

everything wrong, and then, as if his own trials were paramount to

hers, he bored her with the story of his troubles, to which she

simply answered, "I am sorry;" and this was all the sympathy either

gained from the other!

In the course of a few days Maude received a long letter from James

De Vere. He had heard from J.C. of his misfortune, and very tenderly

he strove to comfort her, touching at once upon the subject which he

naturally supposed lay heaviest upon her heart. The marriage need

not be postponed, he said; there was room in his house and a place

in his own and his mother's affections for their "Cousin Maude." She

could live there as well as not. Hampton was only half an hour's

ride from Rochester, and J. G., who had been admitted at the bar,

could open an office in the city until something better presented.




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