“‘People grow wiser as they grow older,’ I remarked; then boldly asked: ‘Will you marry me now, Estelle?’ “‘Do you think it right for people who do not love each other to marry?’ she questioned. “‘Is that equivalent to telling me that you do not love me?’ I inquired. ‘I will be frank with you, my cousin,’ I continued. ‘I confess that I have not the affection for you that young lovers generally rave about; but I admire you; you are beautiful, cultured, talented, and I am free to own that you are far more attractive to me now, than you were in those old days when we were both so bitter and indignant. If no one else has won your heart, I will do my best to make your future pleasant. We have only one more year of grace; we must consider this subject and reach some decision before it expires; so what say you, cousin mine?’ “She thought a moment, then lifted her head with a resolute air, and said: “‘Yes, I will marry you, William, if you are willing to take me just as I am, without very much heart to give you, but willing to do my best to make you a good wife; I believe it will be the wiser course for both of us.’ “Thus our engagement was made, and we were married the following month. I have endeavored to keep my promise to my wife to make her life a pleasant one, and until now,” with a sorrowful glance at the bowed head and shivering form of his proud wife, “I believe that we have been comparatively happy in our domestic relations; at least, I have known more of quiet content than I thought it would ever be possible for me to attain. I have kept this secret—the only one I ever kept from her—until this hour. I did not have the courage to confess it after our marriage—I kept putting it off until after my son, Everet, was born, a little less than a year after our marriage, and when I saw how my wife’s heart was bound up in him, I could not bring myself to it. “Later, when I went to see how _my_ boy was thriving, intending to make some other provision for him, when I learned of that tragedy in the Henly family and that both the man and boy had disappeared, I was almost glad I never had spoken of that sad episode in my life, although I spared no expense to try to trace my child.