The Rector of St. Marks

The fingers got terribly tangled in the fringe as Anna gasped for

breath, and went on: "He does not know, and never will; that is, he never cared for me, nor

guessed how foolish I was to give him my love unsought."

"Then it is not Arthur Leighton, and that is the reason you refused

him, too?" Mr. Hastings said, involuntarily, and Anna looked quickly

up, her cheeks growing paler than they were before, as she replied: "I don't know what you mean. I never refused Mr. Leighton--never."

"You never refused Mr. Leighton?" Thornton exclaimed, forgetting all

discretion in his surprise at this flat contradiction. "I have

Arthur's word for it, written to me last June, while Mrs. Meredith was

there, I think."

"He surely could not have meant it, because it never occurred. Once, I

was foolish enough to think he was going to, but he did not. There is

some great mistake," Anna found strength to say, and then she lay back

in her easy-chair panting for breath, her brain all in a whirl as she

thought of the possibility that she was once so near the greatest

happiness she had ever desired, and which was now lost to her forever.

He brought her smelling salts, he gave her ice-water to drink, and

then, kneeling beside her, he fanned her gently, while he said: "There

surely is a mistake, and, I fear, a great wrong, too, somewhere. Were

all your servants trusty? Was there no one who would withhold a letter

if he had written? Were you always at home when he called?" Thornton

questioned her rapidly, for there was a suspicion in his mind as to

the real culprit; but he would not hint it to Anna unless she

suggested it herself. And this she was not likely to do. Mrs. Meredith

had been too kind to her during the past summer, and especially during

her illness, to allow of such a thought concerning her, and, in a maze

of perplexity, she replied to his inquiries: "We keep but one servant,

Esther, and she, I know, is trusty. Besides, who could have refused

him for me? Grandfather would not, I know, because--because----"

She hesitated a little and her cheeks blushed scarlet, as she added:

"I sometimes thought he wished it to be."

If Thornton had previously a doubt as to the other man who stood

between himself and Anna, that doubt was now removed, and laying aside

all thoughts of self, he exclaimed: "I tell you there is a great wrong

somewhere. Arthur never told an untruth; he thought that you refused

him; he thinks so still, and I shall never rest till I have solved the

mystery. I will write to him to-day."

For an instant there swept over Anna a feeling of unutterable joy as

she thought of what the end might be; then, as she remembered Lucy,

her heart seemed to stop its beating, and, with a moan, she stretched

her hand toward Thornton, who had risen as if to leave her.