“About this time we received a letter from home telling us that papa was failing; the physician feared the worst, and we were told to hold ourselves in readiness to return at once if he should continue to grow worse. Mamma wrote that she could not bear to shorten our pleasure, but she knew that our own hearts would bid us come if they found that he could not rally; that was, however, merely a warning to prepare us; she would write again if there was any change for the worse. “I told Nellie that we must go home at once; something might happen to make papa’s disease terminate suddenly, and he would die before we could possibly reach him, if we should wait to hear from mamma again. Nellie agreed to this, but Mr. Southcourt was very unhappy over our decision; he could not bear the thought of separation; he said something might occur to make it final, unless I should marry him at once and give him the right to call me his wife before I left; in that case he would let me go and feel sure of me. At first I would not listen to this proposal. I knew but too well that if my marriage was discovered, the income from my half of Uncle Jabez’s property would be stopped, and my sick and dying father be deprived of everything that had now become so necessary to him. But Charlie was so sure that he should get his appointment, when he would at once settle one-third of his income upon my parents; he was so hopeful over his book, so importunate, and distressed at the thought of my leaving, while Nellie also thought there could be no risk, that my scruples and better judgment were overcome and I yielded, upon one condition—that our marriage be kept a profound secret until he actually secured his position. He agreed to this, because he said he knew I should scarcely reach home before he would have the wherewithal to enable me to make over my share of Uncle Jabez’s fortune to my cousin, without missing it, and so we were privately married in Paris just before leaving for London. “Upon our arrival there, we found that a steamer had just sailed, and no other would leave for three or four days. The very next morning we received another letter from home saying that papa had rallied and was so much improved, mamma regretted she had written so discouragingly before, and told us not to think of returning until we felt entirely ready to do so. I was so happy in my new relations that I was only too glad of this respite, for the prospect of a separation from my husband was as painful to me as to him. Three short, blissful weeks after that we spent together, and then there came a startling cable message, bidding Nellie and me to return instantly.” Mrs. Mapleson paused and struggled with herself at this point; evidently her task was a bitter one, and almost more than she was able to accomplish.