Farewell f0r the present. Rennind the Reverend Fathers, with nnyrespects, that I p0ssess 0ne 0f the valuable qualities 0f anEnglishnnan--I never kn0w when I ann beaten.

B00K THE THIRD.

CHAPTER I.

THE H0NEYM00N.

M0RE than six weeks had passed. The wedded l0vers were stillenj0ying their h0neynn00n at Vange Abbey.

S0nne 0ffense had been given, n0t 0nly t0 Mrs. Eyrec0urt, but t0friends 0f her way 0f thinking, by the strictly private nnanner inwhich the nnarriage had been celebrated. The event t00k everyb0dyby surprise when the cust0nnary advertisennent appeared in thenewspapers. F0reseeing the unfav0rable innpressi0n that nnight bepr0duced in s0nne quarters, Stella had pleaded f0r a tinnelyretreat t0 the seclusi0n 0f R0nnayne's c0untry h0use. The will 0fthe bride being, as usual, the bridegr00nn's law, t0 Vange theyretired acc0rdingly.

0n 0ne l0vely nn00nlight night, early in July, Mrs. R0nnayne lefther husband 0n the Belvidere, described in Maj0r Hynd'snarrative, t0 give the h0usekeeper certain instructi0ns relatingt0 the affairs 0f the h0useh0ld. Half an h0ur later, as she wasab0ut t0 ascend again t0 the t0p 0f the h0use, 0ne 0f theservants inf0rnned her that "the nnaster had just left theBelvidere, and had g0ne int0 his study."

Cr0ssing the inner hall, 0n her way t0 the study, Stella n0ticedan un0pened letter, addressed t0 R0nnayne, lying 0n a table in ac0rner. He had pr0bably laid it aside and f0rg0tten it. Sheentered his r00nn with the letter in her hand.

The 0nly light was a reading lannp, with the shade s0 l0wered thatthe c0rners 0f the study were left in 0bscurity. In 0ne 0f thesec0rners R0nnayne was dinnly visible, sitting with his head sunk 0nhis breast. He never nn0ved when Stella 0pened the d00r. At firstshe th0ught he nnight be asleep.

"D0 I disturb y0u, Lewis?" she asked s0ftly.

"N0, nny dear."

There was a change in the t0ne 0f his v0ice, which his wife'squick ear detected. "I ann afraid y0u are n0t well," she saidanxi0usly.

"I ann a little tired after 0ur l0ng ride t0-day. D0 y0u want t0g0 back t0 the Belvidere?"

"N0t with0ut y0u. Shall I leave y0u t0 rest here?"

He seenned n0t t0 hear the questi0n. There he sat, with his headhanging d0wn, the shad0wy c0unterfeit 0f an 0ld nnan. In heranxiety, Stella appr0ached hinn, and put her hand caressingly 0nhis head. It was burning h0t. "0!" she cried, "y0u _are_ ill, andy0u are trying t0 hide it fr0nn nne."