tender…hearted　woman；　as　Miss　Gwilt。　There　may　have　been　some
  dreadful　death　in　the　familysome　relation　who　has　disgraced
  himselfsome　infernal　cruelty　which　has　forced　the　poor　thing
  out　on　the　world　as　a　governess。　Well；　turning　it　over　in　my
  mind；　it　struck　me　that　the　major　might　be　able　to　put　me　on　the
  right　tack。　It　is　quite　possible　that　he　might　have　been　informed
  of　Miss　Gwilt's　family　circumstances　before　he　engaged　her；　isn't
  it？〃
  〃It　is　possible；　Allan；　certainly。〃
  〃Just　my　feeling　again！　My　notion　is　to　speak　to　the　major。　If　I
  could　only　get　the　story　from　him　first；　I　should　know　so　much
  better　how　to　speak　to　Miss　Gwilt　about　it　afterward。　You　advise
  me　to　try　the　major；　don't　you？〃
  There　was　a　pause　before　Midwinter　replied。　When　he　did　answer；
  it　was　a　little　reluctantly。
  〃I　hardly　know　how　to　advise　you；　Allan；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　a
  very　delicate　matter。〃
  〃I　believe　you　would　try　the　major；　if　you　were　in　my　place；〃
  returned　Allan；　reverting　to　his　inveterately　personal　way　of
  putting　the　question。
  〃Perhaps　I　might；〃　said　Midwinter；　more　and　more　unwillingly。
  〃But　if　I　did　speak　to　the　major；　I　should　be　very　careful；　in
  your　place；　not　to　put　myself　in　a　false　position。　I　should　be
  very　careful　to　let　no　one　suspect　me　of　the　meanness　of　prying
  into　a　woman's　secrets　behind　her　back。〃
  Allan's　face　flushed。　〃Good　heavens；　Midwinter；〃　he　exclaimed；
  〃who　could　suspect　me　of　that？〃
  〃Nobody；　Allan；　who　really　knows　you。〃
  〃The　major　knows　me。　The　major　is　the　last　man　in　the　world　to
  misunderstand　me。　All　I　want　him　to　do　is　to　help　me　（if　he　can）
  to　speak　about　a　delicate　subject　to　Miss　Gwilt；　without　hurting
  her　feelings。　Can　anything　be　simpler　between　two　gentlemen？〃
  Instead　of　replying；　Midwinter；　still　speaking　as　constrainedly
  as　ever；　asked　a　question　on　his　side。　〃Do　you　mean　to　tell　Major
  Milroy；〃　he　said；　〃what　your　intentions　really　are　toward　Miss
  Gwilt？〃
  Allan's　manner　altered。　He　hesitated；　and　looked　confused。
  〃I　have　been　thinking　of　that；〃　he　replied；　〃and　I　mean　to　feel
  my　way　first；　and　then　tell　him　or　not　afterward；　as　matters　turn
  out？〃
  A　proceeding　so　cautious　as　this　was　too　strikingly　inconsistent
  with　Allan's　character　not　to　surprise　any　one　who　knew　him。
  Midwinter　showed　his　surprise　plainly。
  〃You　forget　that　foolish　flirtation　of　mine　with　Miss　Milroy；〃
  Allan　went　on；　more　and　more　confusedly。　〃The　major　may　have
  noticed　it；　and　may　have　thought　I　meantwell；　what　I　didn't
  mean。　It　might　be　rather　awkward；　mightn't　it；　to　propose　to　his
  face　for　his　governess　instead　of　his　daughter？〃
  He　waited　for　a　word　of　answer；　but　none　came。　Midwinter　opened
  his　lips　to　speak；　and　suddenly　checked　himself。　Allan；　uneasy　at
  his　silence；　doubly　uneasy　under　certain　recollections　of　the
  major's　daughter　which　the　conversation　had　called　up；　rose　from
  the　table　and　shortened　the　interview　a　little　impatiently。
  〃Come！　come！〃　he　said；　〃don't　sit　there　looking　unutterable
  things；　don't　make　mountains　out　of　mole…hills。　You　have　such　an
  old；　old　head；　Midwinter；　on　those　young　shoulders　of　yours！
  Let's　have　done　with　all　these　_pros_　and　_cons。_。　Do　you　mean　to
  tell　me　in　plain　words　that　it　won't　do　to　speak　to　the　major？〃
  〃I　can't　take　the　responsibility；　Allan；　of　telling　you　that。　To
  be　plainer　still；　I　can't　feel　confident　of　the　soundness　of　any
  advice　I　may　give　you　inin　our　present　position　toward　each
  other。　All　I　am　sure　of　is　that　I　cannot　possibly　be　wrong　in
  entreating　you　to　do　two　things。〃
  〃What　are　they？〃
  〃If　you　speak　to　Major　Milroy；　pray　remember　the　caution　I　have
  given　you！　Pray　think　of　what　you　say　before　you　say　it！〃
  〃I'll　think；　never　fear！　What　next？〃
  〃Before　you　take　any　serious　step　in　this　matter；　write　and　tell
  Mr。　Brock。　Will　you　promise　me　to　do　that？〃
  〃With　all　my　heart。　Anything　more？〃
  〃Nothing　more。　I　have　said　my　last　words。〃
  Allan　led　the　way　to　the　door。　〃Come　into　my　room；〃　he　said；　〃and
  I'll　give　you　a　cigar。　The　servants　will　be　in　here　directly　to
  clear　away；　and　I　want　to　go　on　talking　about　Miss　Gwilt。〃
  〃Don't　wait　for　me；〃　said　Midwinter；　〃I'll　follow　you　in　a　minute
  or　two。〃
  He　remained　seated　until　Allan　had　closed　the　door；　then　rose；
  and　took　from　a　corner　of　the　room；　where　it　lay　hidden　behind
  one　of　the　curtains；　a　knapsack　ready　packed　for　traveling。　As　he
  stood　at　the　window　thinking；　with　the　knapsack　in　his　hand；　a
  strangely　old；　care…worn　look　stole　over　his　face：　he　seemed　to
  lose　the　last　of　his　youth　in　an　instant。
  What　the　woman's　quicker　insight　had　discovered　days　since；　the
  man's　slower　perception　had　only　realized　in　the　past　night。　The
  pang　that　had　wrung　him　when　he　heard　Allan's　avowal　had　set　the
  truth　self…revealed　before　Midwinter　for　the　first　time。　He　had
  been　conscious　of　looking　at　Miss　Gwilt　with　new　eyes　and　a　new
  mind；　on　the　next　occasion　when　they　met　after　the　memorable
  interview　in　Major　Milroy's　garden；　but　he　had　never　until　now
  known　the　passion　that　she　had　roused　in　him　for　what　it　really
  was。　Knowing　it　at　last；　feeling　it　consciously　in　full
  possession　of　him；　he　had　the　courage　which　no　man　with　a　happier
  experience　of　life　would　have　possessedthe　courage　to　recall
  what　Allan　had　confided　to　him；　and　to　look　resolutely　at　the
  future　through　his　own　grateful　remembrances　of　the　past。
  Steadfastly；　through　the　sleepless　hours　of　the　night；　he　had
  bent　his　mind　to　the　conviction　that　he　must　conquer　the　passion
  which　had　taken　possession　of　him；　for　Allan's　sake；　and　that　the
  one　way　to　conquer　it　wasto　go。　No　after…doubt　as　to　the
  sacrifice　had　troubled　him　when　morning　came；　and　no　after…doubt
  troubled　him　now。　The　one　question　that　kept　him　hesitating　was
  the　question　of　leaving　Thorpe　Ambrose。　Though　Mr。　Brock's　letter
  relieved　him　from　all　necessity　of　keeping　watch　in　Norfolk　for　a
  woman　who　was　known　to　be　in　Somersetshire；　though　the　duties　of
  the　steward's　office　were　duties　which　might　be　safely　left　in
  Mr。　Bashwood's　tried　and　trustworthy　handsstill；　admitting
  these　considerations；　his　mind　was　not　easy　at　the　thought　of
  leaving　Allan；　at　a　time　when　a　crisis　was　approaching　in　Allan's
  life。
  He　slung　the　knapsack　loosely　over　his　shoulder　and　put　the
  question　to　his　conscience　for　the　last　time。　〃Can　you　trust
  yourself　to　see　her；　day　by　day　as　you　must　see　hercan　you
  trust　yourself　to　hear　him　talk　of　her；　hour　by　hour；　as　you　must
  hear　himif　you　stay　in　this　house？〃　Again　the　answer　came；　as
  it　had　come　all　through　the　night。　Again　his　heart　warned　him；　in
  the　very　interests　of　the　friendship　that　he　held　sacred；　to　go
  while　the　time　was　his　own；　to　go　before　the　woman　who　had
  possessed　herself　of　his　love　had　possessed　herself　of　his　power
  of　self…sacrifice　and　his　sense　of　gratitude　as　well。
  He　looked　round　the　room　mechanically　before　he　turned　to　leave
  it。　Every　remembrance　of　the　conversation　that　had　just　taken
  place　between　Allan　and　himself　pointed　to　the　same　conclusion；
  and　warned　him；　as　his　own　conscience　had　warned　him；　to　go。
  Had　he　honestly　mentioned　any　one　of　the　objections　which　he；　or
  any　man；　must　have　seen　to　Allan's　attachment？　Had　heas　his
  knowledge　of　his　friend's　facile　character　bound　him　to
  dowarned　Allan　to　distrust　his　own　hasty　impulses；　and　to　test
  himself　by　time　and　absence；　before　he　made　sure　that　the
  happiness　of　his　whole　life　was　bound　up　in　Miss　Gwilt？　No。　The
  bare　doubt　whether；　in　speaking　of　these　things；　he　could　feel
  that　he　was　speaking　disinterestedly；　had　closed　his　lips；　and
  would　close　his　lips　for　the　future；　till　the　time　for　speaking
  had　gone　by。　Was　the　right　man　to　restrain　Allan　the　man　who
  would　have　given　the　world；　if　he　had　it；　to　stand　in　Allan's
  place？　There　was　but　one　plain　course　of　action　that　an　honest
  man　and　a　grateful　man　could　follow　in　the　position　in　which　he
  stood。　Far　removed　from　all　chance　of　seeing　her；　and　from　all
  chance　of　hearing　of　heralone　with　his　own　faithful
  recollection　of　what　he　owed　to　his　friendhe　might　hope　to
  fight　it　down；　as　he　had　fought　down　the　tears　in　his　childhood
  under　his　gypsy　master's　stick；　as　he　had　fought　down　the　misery
  of　his　lonely　youth　time　in　the　country　bookseller's　shop。　〃I
  must　go；〃　he　said；　as　he　turned　wearily　from　the　window；　〃before
  she　comes　to　the　house　again。　I　must　go　before　another　hour　is
  over　my　head。〃
  With　that　resolution　he　left　the　room；　and；　in　leaving　it；　took
  the　irrevocable　step　from　Present　to　Future。
  The　rain　was　still　falling。　The　sullen　sky；　all　round　the
  horizon；　still　lowered　watery　and　dark；　when　Midwinter；　equipped
  for　traveling；　appeared　in　Allan's　room。
  〃Good　heavens！〃　cried　Allan；　pointing　to　the　knapsack；　〃what　does
  _that_　mean？〃
  〃Nothing　very　extraordinary；〃　said　Midwinter。　〃It　only
  meansgood…by。〃
  〃Good…by！〃　repeated　Allan；　starting　to　his　feet　in　astonishment。
  Midwinter　put　him　back　gently　into　his　chair；　and　drew　a　seat
  near　to　it　for　himself。
  〃When　you　noticed　that　I　looked　ill　this　morning；〃　he　said；　〃I
  told　you　that　I　had　been　thinking　of　a　way　to　recover　my　health；
  and　that　I　meant　to　speak　to　you　about　it　later　in　the　day。　That
  la