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T SHIRLEY ROSS : k i ! % k Story of Woman's Faithfulness. How pleasant it woald be, 8hewan'!iink- ing, (u she loaned there, with thu aharp wind reviviiij; hor wearied Bonges, to go away with Guy froHi all this misery, to be («red for and loved aa he would care for t»nd lovo her, to bo hia own forever. Dear «uy! I'reaently a gay chime of bells ran^ out, Boundiag clearly on the keen frosty air, »nd Alice Kairholnio and Uuby came in, in their dainty and \erv beeominH grenat velvet dreasoa, to act as Hhirley'a tire- women. They gatlierod up the pretty hair hi^h u(>on her lioad and wniathud it with fra^jraut urauKO'lloword, and robed her in the gUatening white Batin and filmy laoe, itnd clasped the diamomla round her throat und 01. her wrists, and throw the soft laoe veil over her, and no lovelier bride did mir- ror over reflect than Shirley Uo3fl, as, lean- ing on her uncle's arm, sho walked up the nialo to where Guy dtood waiting for hor ftad watching her with hia heart iu bia oyes. All Sbirley'a souaoa tfoomed (juickened in this supreme moment ; it aceuied to hor that she saw all over the church, and that f very face of the crowd aaaembled there was diatinct and separate. Bhe saw the jjrottv eager bridesmaida. Lady Fairholmo btatoiy in green velvet and chinchilla, Guy bD grand-looking and stately, with the look in hia eyes which made her heart thrill. She heard the opening w orda of the inarriago-aervice ; then the sound of gallop- ing horaea and (lying wheels full upon her ciars. The ne.xt moment there was some I onfuaion in tho Ijpd/ of the church, and a man breathless with haste, and agitated, tame i;p the aisle â€" a tall.handnome man, who looked haggard, ami wore his right Hrin ill u alin(|, but whom many present rncogni.'od aa Kir Hugh Glynn. "Htopt" he said haughtily and impera- tively, comiuering hia agitation as he reached the bridal party. " This marriage must not continue." ' 'Ilugh !" Guy exclaimed in ir.tenee sur- |)riae, while Sir Gilbert gently but firmly pat him aside. " Uy what right do you thiia interrupt my niece's niarriag". Sir Hugh ','" he said, kaaghtily, his face paie with anger. " 15y the beat of all rights," was the equally haughty answer. " She is my witeV CHArXKU X.KI. " Shiriey, for the lovo of no»\en speak. ('Ontradict the story this man is telling so plausibly : let 111-3 crush back his falsehoods into hia throat. I'or pity's sake, do not stand there and let hini bring riuch an ac- cusation against you! ' The words broke from (iiiy Stuart's lips with a forro and paaaiou which left him pale a3 death, and each fell like a blow on tho heart of tho girl to whom they wore ad- dressou, and who dared not lift her eyes to the pleading, anguish-stricken face of tho man she loved so deeply, but to whom she liad brought thu most terrible agony that heart could know. Thay were gathered in the oak parlor at I'airholnio Court, while the bewildered and Htartlod household whispered among them- K.!lve4 that some dreadful thing had hap- [lonod, iiinco the bridal carriages had returned almost immediately from the church, and Wisa Shirley looked more dead than alive, and Miss Alice waa threatening liystorica. Hir Gilbert, his face stern and grave and ft'.U of pain, Btoo<i by the mantelpiece, reetii'.g iiia elbow upon it, tho old wound, which had never healed, now torn open nfrosh Lady I'airholmo was trying to hoothe Alice, who waa crying and laughing filternat 'ly ; and Oswald, his countenance fjrave a;id pained and wondaring, had gone to Guv's side, and stood there, with earnest Kympathy for the agony in Ouy'a pale, dea- liairing, anguish-stricken face on his own. tihirloy iitood alone; but Kuby Capol had crept near her, hiding her face in her hands to still her sobs; and Sir Uugh Glynn, imughty, erect, and resolute, stood by the table, his head thrown back defiantly, his right arm in a sling. It v/a ) a strange scone, and one which 4hosi' that saw it never forgot. Shirley was the central figuio, as she Htood at the cpposita side of tho table to Sir IIu,^;h, her long draaa aweepiug the tloor in (jliiitening, Inatrois folda, the laco veil still falling Around her, although sli 1 hail thrown it back fr,im her face, tho diamonds glittering At her tliroftt and on her wrists. Iler faa' waa white to tho lipa ; iv heavy shadow of brojd::i 4 despair, almost deaporatidn, had fallen upon it, and it had drained tho blood from her clieekn, so that ulie stood â- notioiU)HH and colorless as a statue. It might have boon the face of a dead woman for all tho life and color whidi was in it, nave wlion a sudden pasji^.-.i-o i|uivpr liaaied over it, like the iiiiick light of a Uamo wliieh tlickers up ore it dies away " Shirloy," Gny'.i pasaionato broken voice said eagerly, "only ono word, dear; Imt no -you need not speak, you need not contradict him. I know that all he has said iu falseâ€" false as himself." " Hu» that 1 pity your uifforing, and that I think of our old friendiihip, such words would not be long uniovoiigod," put in Sir Hugh slowly, a IUhIi coloring his |>ale ha^!gard faoo, and his blue oyes turn- ing to Major Stuart with an angry meuaoe in their depths. " Why is she ailo;:tV If she could do 80, do you thiuk iiho would not refute the charge? SI19 kuowa that I have right on my side, and witnesaos to jirovB that right. Have you such faith in her," he wont on scornfully, "that yoi: will not see that she repented tho bargain she ha<l raaiio that she porceived that a baro- not with money was Ixittor worth having than a penniless ol'ticor'? Her hdx is not 4iBuall> noted for diaintoroatodnuss," ho continued bitterly, for tho inuto scorn which Overpoworod even the pain on Hhirley'spale fnce lasheil him to fury, " Vou wora not very long gone when ahe permitted nio to " "KisB her hand in the hall," gasneil Alice Kairholme vindictively tlirough nor Bohs; and a tlaah of indignant contempt came into Oswald's eyes as ho turned them on hij sister's face. '• Thank you. Miss Fairholmo, " said Sir Ifuifh. "I am glad to havo my assertion corroborated. Yes ; it is porfootlv true ; And, if my subscijaout conduot hag seomod troaohoroiia to you, Stnirt, it is because 1 4>eliBVpd this lady's assurance that alio had written to broak ofT her engagement to you." 8birley'a face changed then ; a terrible bitterness, a great horror, an irrepressible loatliing caniu over it, and she lifted her eyes and fi.\ed them on Kir Hugh with an ex- pression lie could not inoet- " Shirley, " Major Ktuart broke out, in- dignttiou, entreaty, and pain in his ce, '' this is unendurable. Love, you know I do not doubt youâ€" not for one momentâ€" but to satisfy tbeao others utter just one word of denial. Darling, I do not doubt you. remember," he added with earnest tendernesa. " It is not to clear yourself in my eyes ; I can never doubt you !" "No, you cannot, â€" you never will," Shir- ley said, iu a voice so unlike her usual tone that every person in the room turned and looked at her, while Kuby rose quietly and drew nearer to her aide. " It would greatly simplify matters," put in Sir Gilbert sternly, " if you would deny the charge brought against you, Shirley. Whore were you on the afternoon of the third of January?" " I remember," Miss Kairholme said sud- denly in the silence which followed. "She was out all the afternoon, and when elie came inâ€" <iuite late it wasâ€" she fainted in the hall!" Willi a quick look Shirley's eyes turned upon her cousin's face ; and Kuby Capel stole nearer to her side and put her arm around her. The girl mado no sign that she oven felt the gentle careaa ; she was ut- terly motionlessâ€" only the anguish on her face aud the restless eyes showed how she was suffering. " And I met yo« in the hall," Sir Gilbert Kaid severely; "and 1 saw Sir Hugh take loavo of you in the ball, and â€" and " His voice failod, and he turned away in groat agitation. Every eye in the room was turned on Shirley now, but she did not quail. " Shirley, why don't yon speak?" said her Cousin Alice, juickly, in hor clear high tones. " Why don't you deny it'.'" " Because I cannot." Tho words came slowly and feebly from Shirley's lips, as if her very heart-strings were lorn in tjie utterance, and Ruby Capel felt tho shudder that ran through her. For a moment her lids sunk heavily, as if she were going to faint ; but the ne.\t alio rallied and lifted tho boautiful head which had droapod, with a gesture of tho old queen- like grace. 'Ho you mean that you went to Uumtife with Sir Hugh Glynn?" demanded her undo sternly. " Yes." ' That I'.t tho IIidf-Moon Inn you passed ft» his wife and called him your husband?" " Vea." ' Aud that this story he has told ua is correct ?'' " Correct as to the facts," sho aaid, in the 'aamo slow faint voice â€"" yes." It was piinful to hear her aa the words fell from her lips; it was terrible tosee tho agony of scorn and horror which crushed out all the life and beauty of tho fair face. Sir Gilbert turned away with a groan ; the old wound waa deeply probed, and it was bleeding profusely under tho hand which had Ko rudely torn it open. Tliere waa a short silence then, broken by Major Stuart's voice, which waa deep and low and strained, from the terrible re- straint he put upon himself. "Shirley," he said, gently, "since you have told that you went to Duinfifo with Sir Hugh Glynn, yon will tell ua now your object in doing ao. Why did you go, Shir- ley ? There rnuat havo been some pressing reason to make you take such a step." The lojk of hopeless anguish deeiwned iu the giil'h oyes as they went to his face fora moment, and lior lipa i|uivcred. " I e»nnot tell you," she said, painfully. "Try to trust m;' still, Guy." A look of (listreaa and diaappointnient pashed over Major Stuart's face, and hia eyes, RU tlicy met licra, wt-re full nf an en- treaty which I'ierccd Shirley to tho heart , but she had given a promise to Jack, and she ooiil i not tell him noyv before hor uncle and nunt. "Ifjoucaii trust me, Guy," she said, piteouaty, putting out two little supplicat- ing handa, •' I will tell youâ€" when^ when we are alone," " When you can use your blandishments to deceive liim I" put in Alice I'airholme, with bitter signillcanee. " Vou are a bad false girl ; and I, for one, have never been de<eived in you. Sir Hugh's story " "Mother," Uawald Kairhohno inter- rupted, with quick earnestness, " take Alice away ; she is upset by all tliis. Bhe does not know what sho is saying." Oawald's tone was too signiticaiit and earnest to l>j disregarded ; and I.aily Fair- holmo bent over her daughter, and hp.lf led, half forced lier from the room, making a sign to Ruby to follow hor ; but Miss Capel saw by Khirloy'a quick glance of entreaty that her presence afforded some consola- tion to tho unhappy girl, and she re- mained and waa thanked by a quick grate- ful look from Captain Fairholrao's dark eyca. " 1 o»ii trnat yon without the aid of your blandiahmints, my darling," Guy said, moving towards Shirley, when Sir Hugh, with ft iiuick movement, came between them, " Pardon ine, ' ho said, haughtily. " You forget, 1 think, that I ^-laim that lady aa my wife." Guy fell bn;;k, paling to his lipa, a quick gleam of passion tUahing into hia gray eyes and a passionato execration rising to his lipa. Tho two men stood for a moment looking lit oRv.h other, and a glanco of ter- rible ineiuicfl waa o.vohanged ; then Sir Hugh moved back to his place, and turned to Sir (iilbert with perfect courtesy and composure. "Sir Gilbert, ' ho aaid gravely, "I can- not tell you how it grieves mo to be the cause of no much aorrow and annoy- ance to you and youra, more especially as I know that this muat be a particularly pain- ful thing to you. 1 loved your nioce from tho beginning of my acquaintancowith her, and I confesH that her engagemout to my friend gave mo deep pain. Had sho been eatisliod with and happy in that migage- inoiit, 1 idiould Imvi' never interfered ; bnt even in Major Stimrt'a presence she openly declared that her heart waa not iu her en- Cagement but her dread of your displeasure made her hesitate to break it off," "You sooundrol!" Guy cried savagely, between his teeth. "What a tissue of lies I" " Major Htuart, " interpoaod Sir {iiU>ert, with A grave dignity that bocanio him well, " I oiunot allow yoa to forget that yon are under my roof, and that Sir Hugh Glynn is my visitor." "Shirley's dread of your displeasure made her hesitate to break off her engage- ment, of which you and Lady Fairholme cordially approved. Together we devised the plan which we subsequently carried out, I being still under the impressisu that she had written to Major Stuart to cancel the promise she had given him. You will remennber perhaps that on the day follow- ing that on which I had made your niece my wife according to the law of the country, I was called away by my mother's illness. On the day that I arrived at Cannes I met with a carriage accident which resulted in a > roken arm and some slight head injoriee. I could not write to my wife." .\ cry of unutterable anguish broke from Shirley and ailenoed tho smooth flow of words which sounded so plausible to the hearersâ€" a cry sharp and sadden. She shuddered from head to foot, as though a red-hot iron had touched her flesh ; and for the first time her courage failed her. Her limbs trembled and gave way, she sunk upon her knees. Ruby's arms around her nd supporting her, and her head fell back against Miss Capel. Rut she was not un- conscious ; she could see and hear all that paased ; and something iu the helpless atti- tude bespoke a auffeiing terrible to witnesa. It waa harrowing to Guy Stuart, to tho man who loved her with such a great love, who trusted her with such a perfect faith, to sec her there in all the glory of her satin and lace and diamonds, pale and drooping like a tlower broken at the stem and left to die. â- â€¢ I could not write to my wife myself," Sir Hugh wen; ca, rather hoarsely â€" he too loved her â€" ay, ana lo^ed her well in her way, but selfishly and cruelly ; " and I did not like to let another for me ; so I waited. As soon aa I could spare his attendance, I sent my confidential servant to Scotland to see Shirley. Immediately on hia arrival he dispatched a telegram, telliug me that my wife waa about to marry another man. I left Cannes immediatelyâ€" at the risk of my life, the physicians said ; bat that matters little, since I waa in time to prevent a crime." Sir Hugh coucludod, aa he had spoken, amid perfect sdonco, and Sir (iilbert, to whom ho bad addressed himself, bowed slightly. Captain Fairholme waa standing with his hand u()on Guy's arm, hia face full of earnest sympathy and paiu because of the anguish and anger upon Major Stuart's danrk face ; and Ruby, still supporting Shir- ley in her arms, was watching, with name- less fear, the miaerable aching oyes so wide and desolate, tho pale lips from which the quick gasping breaths came almost like sobs. " I must thank yon for the patient hear- ing; that you have given me," Sir Hugh continued gravely. "And now let me ask )cu, Sir Gilbert, what your opinion is. The lawyer â€" a diatitiguished member of hia pro- fession â€" Mr. Duncan, of I'erth â€" whom I consalted on the subject, gave it aa his opinion that the laws of this country made your niece my wife, and that, even if I wished to do so, I could '.lot disown the marriage." " It is impossible !" Captain Fairholme cried, breaking in passionately. " Even the abominable law in force in this country cannot make that a marriage !" 'Less even is needed to make a n.arriage in Scotland," said Sir Hugh, with a slight smile. " It behooves one to bo careful in thia country. Captain Fairholme. Sir (iilbert will tell you so, I think; and, in- deed, if Shirley and myaelf had done inno- -.ently what wo did willingly, we should have been equally married, and we should have had to make the best of it." " I'nclo Gilbert"â€" Shirley's voice, faint, gasping, tremulous, broke in here â€" " is that true?" " It ia true," Sir (iilbert said, with grave sadness ; and a moan like tho moan of a man in pli)sical pain broke from Guv Stcart. Shirley looked at him pitifully ; she had known what tho answer would be ; she u.-iex that less had mado her mother the wife of a man whom she had never meant to marry. Sho felt that all was lost : and yet the misery on Guy'a face rendered her desperate. That sho should have wounded him, she who loveil him so madly, who would have died for him, who would wil- lingly havo crept to his feet and prayed for forgiveness as if she had brougtit this anguish to him wilfully. For hia sake ahe fought against the certainty which seemed to have fro/ou her blood as she knelt there, inert and powerless, able only to suffer. " t'l.cle Gilbert," ahe aaid, in a voice so broken with paaaionato agitation and bit- terest pain that it was diflicnlt to under- stand what she said, "are yon sure? Is there no room for doubt? 1 know â€" I know my mother's atory ; but -another judg- ment 1 Oh, it ia impossible," she cried, riaing to her feet with a auddon despairuig strength ; " it ia imposaiblo that a few jest- ing words can have iimdo ma that man's wife. I'nde Gilbert, if you have any pity, tell me that all thia ia aoms horrible dream 1" Sho stood awaying to and fro, aa ahe pushed back the hair from her forehead and ruthlessly swept aside the costly lace. Sir Gilbert could not look at her ; ahe was ao like her mother as sho stood there, suf- fering as hor mother had suffered, curaed aa her mother had been curaed. Ah, if that mother had lived but one abort hour more, how differently her child's life would havo been ordered, how much anguish she would have been spared ! "Ciuy," she said, paaaiouatoly, aa Sir Gilbert remained silent, "he might listen to yon. He waa your friend once." " My friend? Y'es," Guy muttered bitterly, " and therefore hia treachery is ten times greater, tho villain !" " Stuart- -for Shirley's a»ko!" interposed Oawalit Fairholme, hastily. "Glynn, can nothing be done? Will you not give up this claim?" " Captain Fairholme, if I wished to back out of tho marriage, I could not do so," aaid Sir Hugh, somewhat impatiently. Who can tell what may occur in tho future to induce your couain to stand up for tho law which she now repudiates? \\'e cannot aee int j the future ; nor can we tell what circumstances may arise to ren- ter it advisable in your cousin's eyoa that sho should claim the title ond iKisition which undoubtedly belong to her aa my wife." " His wife'." Shirlov ochoeil, with an o.\- presaion of nnntterable acorn and hatred iu her boaotiful eyes. " Hia wits!" Aa she uttered the words she realized for the first time what her position waa. Lov- ing one man with all her heart and soul and strength â€" even as Marian Fairholme twenty years before had loved Roland Roas â€"ahe waa bound for life to another. All the anguish that the mother had borne the child must bear, all the pain of knowing that her preaent position waa her own fault ; that she had brought sorrow and despair to darken forever the life for which she would, oh, so gladly, have given her own ! The story Latreiile had told hia master six weeks before had been ably acted upon. The laws of the land in which they lived had made her the wedded wife of the man who stood watching her with eager blue eyes, in which was some tenderness per- haps, but more triumph. She waa married to a man whom not only did she not love and respect, but whom she scorned and contemned and hated for his base treachery, his despicable lies. She waa bis for all her life, and nothing could keep her from him, no power, no love, no devotion. Aa the full knowledge of all she had lost broke upon her bewildered senses, her strength gave way. Without a word, without a move- ment to save herself, she dropped at Ruby's feet, a mass of costly satin and lace and dia- monds, and her colorless face was lika the face of a dead woman. CHAPTER XXn. " Alice, I can't understand you ; you arc 30 unlike yourself." "On the contrary," Miss Fairholme said haughtily, "it is you. Ruby, who seem to have lost all correct judgment and all sense of what is right and wrong." " I would rath»r bs" alt correi.; judgment than be utterly devoid of cotnpassion and pity, or even common humanity," returned Ruby doggedly. " I have plenty of compassion and pity for objects that deserve it," said Miss Fair- holme scornfully â€" " not for a girl who by tho meaneat falsehoods and moat despic- able behavior has obtained her end and has made herself the wife of one of the wealth- iest men in Scotland." "A girl who by the meanest falsehoods and the most despicable and basest treach- ery has been trapped into breaking her own heart and the hecrt of the man whom she loves," corrected Ruby with an angry sob. Ah â€" 80 ahe says '. " said Alice, senten- tiously. " Alice, this is too bad 1" cried Ruby pas- sionately through the hot angry tears which rose in her a^'es as she looked at AUce's pretty contemptuous face, as, in the prettiest of invalid wrappers, she lay on a couch in the oak parlor. It was the afternoon of the day following Shirley's wedding day. Already the first terrible excitement was over, and the household had resumed ita ordinary routine. The pretty bridal robes had been folded away. Sir Jasper Stuart's regal wedding- gift had been once more placed upon its satin bed. the decorations had been taken from the walla, the wedding -fa vera put aside. Only Sir Gilbert's gloomy brow and Lady Fairholme'a preoccupieil countenance showed that something bad gone wrong ; and in the servants' hall the men and niaida talked with bated breath of the an- guish on Guy Stuart's haggard face and of Mias Alice's hystericsâ€" but Miss Ross they did not see. Sir Hugh Glynn had proved himself per- fectly reasonable, and even considerate. He actjuiesced cordially in Captain Fair holme's suggestion that legal advice should be obtained ; and the same day Oawald and Guy had gone to Edinburgh, where they thought it cotUd be best obtained. Sir Hugh had gone back to Maxwell, declining Sir Gilbert's invitation to remain at the Court. His presence there would be an in- trusion, he said, in the present circum- stances; he would await Major Stuart's re- turn at his own house- .\lice, whose vanity had received a terri- ble blowâ€" for she had considered Sir Hugh a captive to her own bow and spear, and wa-i greatly mortified at having lost all chance of such abrilliant ;Mr(i -had chosen to take what ahe called her cousin's "in- fatnous behavior" so deeply to heart that ahe waa suffering from a nervous attack which ret|uirt>d a great deal of attention, bnt which did not interfere with her flirta- tion with her brother's friends, both of whom, at Lady Fairholme's request, re- mained at the Court ; while Shirley had not left her room, whither she had been carried in the long death-like swoon which had followed the terrible strain she had en- dured for so loug; and the only jiersons who had seen her were Ruby Cajiel and Delphine, Alice's maid, whose romantic heart had been touched by the girl'a terri- ble jxjaition, and who, moreover, had all a Frenchwoman's love of intrigue; while Ruby, in her earnest sympathy, had cried till her pretty dark eyes became red and stiff. t)n recovery from her long fainting fit, Shirley had behaved very quietly ; she waa almoat too exhausted for anything else. Slie felt but little, and she feared but little, for all ^)ower of thought seemed gone. She pressed Ruby's hand with a faint little grateful pressure when she found her head lying on Miss Capel's shoulder and the pretty piquant face, with a tender pity unusual to it, bending over her ; then she closed her eyes wearily again, and let her- self drift away into a half stupor which lasted until evening. Ruby did not leave hor all that night. Under her quick impulaive exterior the littlo heiress hid a very loving heart, and all her pity and tenderness were arouaeil for Shirley. It did not matter to her that almost every one at Fairholme Court con- demned Shirley, ahe felt it in her inmost heart that the girl waa true ; and ahe laid the aching head on her bosom, and presaoil her lipa to the burning brow with a tender- ness which WAS an ine.xpressible comfort to Shirley in her desolation. Toward evening, when Shirley roused up and found Ruby still watching by her pil- low, her natural unselfishness asserted itself. She insisted on making Ruby rest on the couch ; and, to please hor, the girl acquiesced, while Shirley aat beaide her, holding her hand in her little hot fingers, and sjieaking now and then a few worda of thankful gratitude for Ruby's tenderness and consideration. I'resontly Delphine brought in a tray, and Shirley mado a feint of eating, to iu- duoe Ruby to have some dinner ; and when the evening wore on into night, tho two girls went to rest, and Ruby cried herself to sleep in Shirley's arma. Bnt no sleep came to the other girl's wide aching eyes. It seemed to Shirley that she would nt»r sleep again. The next day passed very quietly. Shir- ley roae and dressed, looking the yerr wraith of her former self in the black vel- veteen dress that she wore; bat, with • very natural shrinking from attracting at- tention, ahe remained in her own room, in and out of which Ruby flitted, trying to cheer her, and quite happy if she brought ' a faint smile to the pale stiff Upa. Neither Sir Gilbert nor Lady Fairholme had expressed any wish to see the unhappj girl. Her ladyship indeed thought bu guilty of great deception and nnt'rathfnl- ' ness. She believed with her daughter thai Shirley had done her utmost to compaaa a marriage with Sir Hugh, and had not scrupled to use any means to attain her end. She was, moreover, greatly incenaed with Sir Hugh for having paid Alice con- aiderable attention when his real affactiona were already given to her cousin ; and her indignation took the form of a great deal oC petting of Alice, whom ahe peraiited in r*. garding aa terribly ill-used, and assuffering greatly from the exhaustion resulting froin the shock which such a disgraceful affair had caused her. And Alice, in the most coijaettiah of wrappers, her pretty hair daintily arranged, lay back upon her cushions and accepted all these aicentiona, and looked interesting, aa Ruby declared angrily, with all her might. But the effort to look rntereating waa not necessary just now, for only Ruby was with her in the oak parlor, and she was teo angry with Miss Capel for her chanupion- ship of Shirley to retain the sweet resigned expression which she bad so successfully assumed. At present her fair face waa dis- figured by an expression of vindictive anger and dislike, and her thin lips were drawn down at the corners with scorn and con- tempt. My dear Ruby," she said coolly, ia answer to Miss Capel's indignant exolama- tion, "it is very charming to see such faith as yours; but you must remember that Shirley is my couain, and that I hare known her much longer than you have. I think she is a bad deceitful girlâ€" falae to her heart's core; ajd. whatever the resulk of Major Stuart's apphcatiou, I shall never hold any other opinion." " If you were to see her," returned Rabjf sorrowfully, dashing away her tears, too proud to show how much Alice's worda wotmded her, "you would change that opinion, Alice." "Do you think 1 shotild have any faith in her fainting ? " asked Alice contemptB- ously. " She is an accomplished actreae ; her long residence abroad taught her that ; and, aa for her tears, she can call them db at will. " " She has never cried at all, " said Ruby sadly. " She just sits still and quiet, aa pale as death, and speaks ao ^ently and sweetly when sho ia spoken to. bnt with such a strange look in her eyes that I can hardly bear to meet it." " It is a pity to let your tender heart be lacerated so foolishly," remarked Miaa Fairholme. " But it is hardly to be ex- pected that you would be able to fathom such a depth of depravity. People who are true themselves naturally beUeve in others' rectitude; but indeed your tnut ia singularly misplaced." So saying, .Alice took up a book which was lying on the gypsy table at her elhow, as a sign that she considered the converea- tion finished ; and Ruby rose sorrowfully from her chair and stood looking down into the fire, with a mist between her eyes and its red glow. "Then you will not come, Alice"'" ahe said, after a long pause ; and Miss Fair- holme lifted her eyes from her book, with a puzzled expression, aa if she did not nnder- stand. " I beg your pardon '" she sail, aweetly. " Yon will not come with me '" "Where, Ruby?" " To see Shirley. It would 0!;ly be kind of you, Alice dear, and I am sure it would make her less unhappy. She feels ao much," Ruby added earnestly, "that this has brought sorrow on yon, more especially because she fears " The girl hesitated and colored alightly. " She is very good. " Al»je said acoruf uUy. "What does ahe fear?" "That you cared for Sir Hugh, and " " Her fears and her sympathy are both superfluous," said Mias Fairholme, taking op her book once more. " I will not aee her, Ruby; so it ia quite useless troubling me any more. I am not dinal to any more of her scenes ; her acting is too much for my nerves. My couaiu has certainly missed her vocation," "Alice, how cruel you arel' Ruby ex- claimed, indignantly, as sho turned away ; and .\lic« laughetl mockingly aa she left the room, closing tho door after her with a bang. I hope that will upset your ner\-ea,'* she said, angrily, as ahe passed into the hall. " You may have nerves. Alice Fairholme, but you have no heart. Poor Shirley '." She stood for a minute hesitating in the hall ; the wintry dusk was gathering round, and it would soon be time for the lamps to be lighted. Just uow the great blazing ffre throw a red lurid light over the hall, which reached even the windows on either aide of the hall door â€" broad low wiudowawith wide cushioned window-seats, in one of which Ruby's quick eyes perceived a little crouch- ing figure. " Shirley I" she exclaimed, as the went toward the window; and Shirley turned her face toward her with a little smila which, to Ruby's eyes, seemed sadder than any tears. She was sitting on the window-aeat, test- ing her head against the pane of glass, and hor lovely eyes so deaolate and sorrowful were peering out into the gathering dusk beyond. "What are you doing here, dear?" Ruby said, making her voice cheerful by a strong etTort. " la it not oold for von. Shirley ?" " Cold, Ruby ! Feel how nice and warm my handa are." Nice and warm ! They were dry and hot and burning with fever as Rubv twk them fondly in hers. " I could not bear my room any longer," she said then, with a pitiful littlo attempt at pUyfiUness. " The quiet worked on my nerves, I suppose, for I got restless ; and I came here because-- because " " The dog-oart has gone to the station,' said Ruby, gently, "and you would aee it first from here." (To be oon tinned.)