“I do not know. He came to my uncle when seventeen years of age. He was fatherless, motherless, and friendless; but he has proved himself, if not honored among men, to be stamped with Heaven’s nobility.” Would that Earle Wayne could have heard this tribute from the woman he so loved! “Wayne—is it spelled with a y?” Mr. Tressalia asked. “Yes.” “Of what nationality is he?” “American, I judge, though I never heard him say aught upon the subject.” “Strange! strange!” Mr. Tressalia muttered, with thoughtful brow. But after a few minutes of musing, he reached out and clasped her hand. The confession she had made, and he had listened to, was a strange one for a delicate and sensitive woman to make, and his great heart was touched with sympathy for the gallant lover, and with admiration for the woman who could be so true and loyal to him. “Miss Dalton,” he said, in earnest though slightly tremulous tones, “I realize that all my hope must die; but what you have told me only makes my loss so much greater and harder to bear, for I honor you above women for the courage you have manifested in telling me this. You are a noble daughter of a noble country, and he who has won your love will have cause to adore you all his life. That he is worthy of you, notwithstanding his misfortune, I cannot doubt, after what you have told me, and I do not believe _you_ could love _unworthily_. God bless him for his nobility, and _you_ for your constancy!” Editha looked up astonished at this heartfelt benediction. She had begun to regard him as lacking somewhat in character and pride, when he had returned to plead his cause after her repeated refusal, but now she saw that she had underrated him. She saw that his love was deep and true for her, and that he suffered as great men alone can suffer when he found that he could never win her love; but a mind that was capable of such generosity as to rise above self—to admire and sympathize with a rival—was worthy of the highest regard. “I am proud,” he went on, not noticing her look, “that you have considered me worthy of this confidence; and, if anything could assuage the pain I experience, the trust that you repose in me would do it. Your confidence shall be inviolable, and if there is anything that I can do at any time to promote your happiness and Mr. Wayne’s interests, I pray you will not hesitate to let me know it, and I will gladly serve you both.” Paul Tressalia did not realize what he was promising when he said that, but there came a time when he was tried as few men are ever tried; and—did he bear the test? We shall see. Never in all her life had Editha regretted anything as she did at this moment that she had been obliged to blight the hopes of this noble, whole-souled man. The bright drops chased each other over her cheeks as she thanked him for his kindness, and expressed her regret that she had been obliged to cause him pain.