"Thank goodness!" exclaimed Glen joyously, as he sprang forward and caught both Marie's hands in his, making her flush and tremble with the warmth of his greeting. "Tell me, dear Marie, the meaning of all this dreadful news." She did not speak, but, giving herself up to the joy of the situation, she let her hands rest in his and gazed wistfully in his face, while Ruth sat in her place in the schoolroom and trembled, she knew not why. "You do not speak," said Glen. "Tell me, for heaven's sake tell me, that this is all in opposition to your sister's wishes." Marie still gazed wistfully in his face, and her hands, in spite of herself, returned the warm pressure of his. "Surely--oh no; I will not believe it!" cried Glen. "It cannot be so. Marie, dear Marie, pray have compassion on me and tell me the truth." "Do--you wish me to tell you?" she said in a low voice that trembled with suppressed emotion. "Yes, everything. If you have any feeling for me, tell me honestly all." Marie's hands trembled more and more, and her colour went and came as she spoke. "I will tell you what you wish, Captain Glen," she said, in her low rich tones; "but do not blame me if it gives you pain." "I will not; only pray put an end to this terrible anxiety." There was a few moments' silence, and then Glen said huskily: "You know how Clotilde loved me, Marie?" Marie's dark eyes gazed fully, pityingly into his, but there was a slight curl of scorn upon her upper lip as she remained silent. "No," she said slowly, as she shook her head; "no, I do not." "You--do not!" Marie hesitated to plant so sharp a sting in his heart, but, still, she panted to speak--to tell him that he had wasted his honest love upon one who did not value it, in the hope that he might turn to her; but at the same time she feared to overstep the mark, and her compunction to hurt the man she loved came and went. "Why do you not tell me what you mean?" he said, pressing one of her hands so that he caused her intense pain. "Because I shrink from telling you that Clotilde never cared for you in the least," she said bitterly. "How dare you say that?" he cried. "If she had loved you, Captain Glen, would she have accepted Mr Elbraham for the sake of his wealth?" He would have dropped her hand, but she held fast, full of passionate grief for him as she saw how deadly pale he had turned, and had they been in a less public place she would have clung to him, and told him how her heart bled for his pain. "You are her sister, and could not say that which was false," he said simply. "Tell me, then, is this all true?" "Do you doubt me?" she asked, looking full in his eyes. He held her hands, and looked down in the dark, handsome face that gazed so unflinchingly in his. "No," he said softly, "no;" and raising one of her hands to his lips, he kissed it, and then turned and left the place.