"  I  have  something  to  say,"  he  went  on,  "and  per-
haps you  would  rather  we  were  alone."  He  looked
at  the  landlady,  who  at  once  left  the  room.  Clara
stood  as  she  had  risen,  clinging  for  support  to  the
back  of  her  rocking  chair.
"  I  asked  your  husband  to-day  why  he  did  not  go
immediately  to  you  and  he  replied  that  you  did  not
love  him.  Is  it  so  ?"

"  Oh,  no  ?  It  is  not  so  !"  cried  Clara.  "  He  should
not  have  said  that."

"  He  also  said,"  the  lad  continued,  "  that  he  had
won  your  hand  by  fraud  and  that  two  men  had  nar-
rowly escaped  death  on  account  of  that  act.  He  said
that  he  was  unfit  to  join  his  life  to  yours  and  that  he
wished  to  undo  what  evil  he  had  committed,  so  far  as
possible,  by  giving  you  a  deed  of  separation,  with  one
half  of  his  property."

The  girl  clung  yet  closer  to  her  support.
"  He  acknowledged  all  the  wrong  to  be  on  his  side,
and  hoped  you  would  pardon  his  sins  against  you.
He  feels  certain  that  were  you  to  accept  him  as  your
husband  your  natures  are  so  dissimilar  that  a  rupture
must  come  in  time.  Are  you  agreed  ?"

"  No,  no  !"  cried  Clara,  starting  as  if  from  a  dream.
!I  do  not  know  him."     Page  251.
