covered；　and　made　all　possible　haste　to　get　ready　to　attend　the
  examination　with　the　special　detail。
  〃And　now　I　have　finished。　　Before　this　meets　any　other　eye　than　mine
  I　shall　be　dead　…　beyond　the　punishment　of　this　world　and　awaiting
  the　punishment　of　the　next。　　Lest　some　may　fancy　I　do　not　believe
  this；　…　thinking　that　if　I　did　I　could　not　so　have　acted；　…　let　me
  say　there　is　no　moral　restraining　power　in　fear。　　Fear　is　essentially
  selfish；　and　selfishness　is　at　the　bottom　of　all　crimes；　my　own　among
  the　rest。　　I　leave　behind　me　none　who　will　mourn　me；　and　have　but　one
  satisfaction；　viz。：　the　knowledge　that　I　shall　be　regarded　as　an
  artist　in　crime。　　I　take　this　occasion　to　bid　the　public　an　adieu
  not　altogether；　I　confess；　unmixed　with　regrets。　　I　am　now　on　that
  eminence　called　'Life'；　in　a　few　minutes　I　shall　have　jumped　off　into
  the　darkness；　and　then　　…　all　is　mystery。〃
  When　I　had　finished　reading　this　article　we　all　remained　silent　for
  a　long　time。　　Gwen　was　the　first　to　speak；　and　then　only　to　say
  slowly；　as　if　thinking　aloud：　〃　And　so　it　is　all　over。〃
  CHAPTER　IV
  It　often　happens　that　two　souls　who　love　are；　like　the　parts　of
  a　Mexican　gemel…ring；　the　more　difficult　to　intertwine　the　better
  they　fit　each　other。
  You　may　be　assured　that；　after　reading　M。　Godin's　confession；　we
  looked　forward　to　seeing　Maitland　with　a　good　deal　of　interest。　　We
  knew　this　new　turn　of　affairs　would　cause　him　to　call　at　once；　so
  we　all　strove　to　possess　our　souls　in　patience　while　we　awaited　his
  coming。　　In　less　than　half　an　hour　he　was　with　us。　　〃The　news　of　your
  success　has　preceded　you；〃　said　Gwen　as　soon　as　he　was　seated。　　〃I
  wish　to　he　the　first　to　offer　you　my　congratulations。　　You　have　done
  for　me　what　none　other　could　have　done　and　I　owe　you　a　debt　of
  gratitude　I　can　never　repay。　　The　thought　that　I　was　unable　to　carry
  out　my　father's　wishes；　…　that　I　could　do　nothing　to　free　his　name
  from　the　reproaches　which　had　been　cast　upon　it；　was　crushing　my
  heart　like　a　leaden　weight。　　You　have　removed　this　burden；　and；
  believe　me；　words　fail　to　express　the　gratitude　I　feel。　　I　shall
  beg　of　you　to　permit　me　to　pay　you　the　sum　my　father　mentioned　and
  to　…　to　…　〃　　She　hesitated　and　Maitland　did　not　permit　her　to
  finish　her　sentence。
  〃You　must　pardon　me；　Miss　Darrow；〃　he　replied；　〃but　I　can　accept　no
  further　payment　for　the　little　I　have　done。　　It　has　been　a　pleasure
  to　do　it　and　the　knowledge　that　you　are　now　released　from　the
  disagreeable　possibilities　of　your　father's　will　is　more　than
  sufficient　remuneration。　　If　you　still　feel　that　you　owe　me　anything；
  perhaps　you　will　be　willing　to　grant　me　a　favour。〃
  〃There　is　nothing；〃　she　said　earnestly；　〃within　my　power　to　grant
  for　which　you　shall　ask　in　vain。〃
  〃Let　me　beg　of　you　then；〃　he　replied；　〃never　again　to　seek　to　repay
  me　for　any　services　you　may　fancy　I　have　rendered。　　There　is　nothing
  you　could　bestow　upon　me　which　I　would　accept。〃　　She　gave　him　a
  quick；　searching　glance　and　I　noticed　a　look　of　pain　upon　her　face；
  but　Maitland　gave　it　no　heed；　for；　indeed；　he　seemed　to　have　much
  ado　either　to　know　what　he　wanted　to　say；　or　knowing　it；　to　say　it。
  〃And　now；〃　he　continued；　〃I　must　no　longer　presume　to　order　your
  actions。　　You　have　considered　my　wishes　so　conscientiously；　have
  kept　your　covenant　so　absolutely；　that　what　promised　to　be　a
  disagreeable　responsibility　has　become　a　pleasure　which　I　find
  myself　loth　to　discontinue。　　All　power　leads　to　tyranny。　　Man　cannot
  be　trusted　with　it。　　Its　exercise　becomes　a　consuming　passion；　and
  he　abuses　it。　　The　story　is　the　same；　whether　nations　or　individuals
  be　considered。　　I　myself；　you　see；　am　a　case　in　point。　　I　thank　you
  for　the　patience　you　have　shown　and　the　pains　you　have　taken　to　make
  everything　easy　and　pleasant　for　me；　and　now　I　must　be　going；　as　I
  have　yet　much　to　do　in　this　matter。　　〃It　may　be　a　long　time；〃　he
  said；　extending　his　hand　to　her；　〃before　we　meet　again。　　We　have
  travelled　the　same　path　…　〃　but　he　paused　as　if　unable　to　proceed；
  and　a　deadly　pallor　overspread　his　face　as　he　let　fall　both　her　hand
  and　his　own。　　He　made　a　heroic　effort　to　proceed。
  〃I　…　I　shall　miss　…　very　…　very　much　miss　…　pray　pardon　me　…　I　…　I
  believe　I'm　ill　…　a　little　faint　I'd　…　I'd　better　get　out　into　the
  air　…　I　shall　…　shall　miss　…　pardon　…　I　…　I'm　not　quite　myself　…
  goodbye；　good…bye！〃　and　he　staggered　unsteadily；　half　blindly　to　the
  door　and　out　into　the　street　without　another　word。　　He　certainly
  did　look　ill。
  Gwen's　face　was　a　study。　　In　it　surprise；　fear；　pain；　and　dismay；
  each　struggled　for　predominance。　　She　tried　to　retain　her
  self…control　while　I　was　present；　but　it　was　all　in　vain。　　A　moment
  later　she　threw　herself　upon　the　sofa；　and；　burying　her　face　in　the
  cushions；　wept　long　and　bitterly。　　I　stole　quietly　away　and　sent
  Alice　to　her；　and　after　a　time　she　regained　her　self…control；　if
  not　her　usual　interest　in　affairs。
  As　day　after　day　passed；　however；　and　Maitland　neglected　to　call；
  transacting　such　business　as　he　had　through　me；　the　shadow　on
  Gwen's　face　deepened；　and　the　elasticity　of　manner；　whereof　she
  had　given　such　promise　at　Maitland's　last　visit；　totally　deserted
  her；　giving　place　to　a　dreamy；　far…away　stolidity　of　disposition
  which　I　knew　full　well　boded　no　good。　　I　stood　this　sort　of　thing
  as　long　as　I　could；　and　then　I　determined　to　call　on　Maitland　and
  give　him　a　〃piece　of　my　mind。〃
  I　did　call；　but　when　I　saw　him　all　my　belligerent　resolutions
  vanished。　　He　was　sitting　at　his　table　trying　to　work　out　some
  complicated　problem；　and　he　was　utterly　unfitted　for　a　single
  minute's　consecutive　thought。　　I　had　not　seen　him　for　more　than　two
  weeks；　and　during　that　time　he　had　grown　to　look　ten　years　older。
  His　face　was　drawn；　haggard；　and　deathly　pale。
  〃For　Heaven's　sake；　George；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃what　is　the　matter　with
  you？〃
  〃I've　an　idea　I'm　spleeny；〃　he　replied　with　a　ghastly　attempt　at　a
  smile。　　This　was　too　much　for　me。　　He　should　have　the　lecture　after
  all。　　The　man　who　thinks　he　is　dying　may　be　spleeny；　but　the　man
  who　says　he　is　spleeny　is；　of　the　two；　the　one　more　likely　to　be
  dying。
  〃See　here；　old　man；〃　I　began；　〃don't　you　get　to　thinking　that　when
  you　hide　your　own　head　in　the　sand　no　one　can　see　the　colour　of
  your　feathers。　　You　might　as　well　try　to　cover　up　Bunker　Hill
  Monument　with　a　wisp　of　straw。　　Don't　you　suppose　I　know　you　love
  Gwen　Darrow？　　That's　what's　the　matter　with　you。〃
  〃Well；〃　he　replied；　〃and　if　it　is；　what　then？〃
  〃What　then？〃　I　ejaculated。　　〃What　then？　　Why　go　to　her　like　a　man；
  tell　her　you　love　her　and　ask　her　to　be　your　wife。　　That's　what　I'd
  do　if　I　loved　…　〃　　But　he　interrupted　me　before　I　had　finished　the
  lie；　and　I　was　not　sorry；　for；　if　I　had　thought　before　I　became
  involved　in　that　last　sentence；　how　I　feared　to　speak　to　Jeannette
  …　well；　I　should　have　left　it　unsaid。　　I　have　made　my　living
  giving　advice　till　it　has　become　a　fixed　habit。
  〃See　here；　Doc；〃　he　broke　in　upon　me；　〃I　do　love　Gwen　Darrow　as　few
  men　ever　love　a　woman；　and　the　knowledge　that　she　can　never　be　my
  wife　is　killing　me。　　Don't　interrupt　me！　　I　know　what　I　am　saying。
  She　can　never　be　my　wife！　　Do　you　think　I　would　sue　for　her　hand？
  Do　you　think　I　would　be　guilty　of　making　traffic　of　her　gratitude？
  Has　she　not　her　father's　command　to　wed　me　if　I　but　ask　her；　even
  as　she　would　have　wed　that　scoundrel；　Godin；　had　things　gone　as　he
  planned　them？　　Did　she　not　tell　us　both　that　she　should　keep　her
  covenant　with　her　father　though　it　meant　for　her　a　fate　worse　than
  death？　　And　you　would　have　me　profit　by　her　sacrifice？　　For　shame！
  Love　may　wither　my　heart　till　it　rustles　in　my　breast　like　a　dried
  leaf；　but　I　will　never；　never　let　her　know　how　I　love　her。　　And　see
  here；　Doc；　promise　me　that　you　will　not　tell　her　I　love　her　…　　nay；
  I　insist　on　it。〃
  Thus　importuned　I　said；　though　it　went　much　against　the　grain；　for
  that　was　the　very　thing　I　had　intended；　〃She　shall　not　learn　it
  first　through　me。〃　This　seemed　to　satisfy　him；　for　he　said　no　more
  upon　the　subject。　　When　I　went　back　to　Gwen　I　was　in　no　better　frame
  of　mind　than　when　I　left　her。　　Here　were　two　people　so　determined
  to　be　miserable　in　spite　of　everything　and　everybody　that　I　sought
  Jeannette　by　way　of　counter…irritant　for　my　wounded　sympathy。
  Ah；　Jeannette！　　Jeannette！　　to　this　day　the　sound　of　your　sweet　name
  is　like　a　flash　of　colour　to　the　eye。　　You　were　a　bachelor's　first
  and　last　love；　and　he　will　never　forget　you。
  CHAPTER　V
  All　human　things　cease　…　some　end。　　Happy　are　they　who　can　spring
  the　hard　and　brittle　bar　of　experience　into　a　bow　of　promise。　　For
  such；　there　shall　ever　more　be　an　orderly　gravitation。
  My　next　call　on　Maitland　was　professional。　　I　found　him　abed　and　in
  a　critical　condition。　　I　blamed　myself　severely　that　I　had　allowed
  other　duties　to　keep　me　so　long　away；　and　had　him　at　once　removed　to
  the　house；　where　I　might；　by　constant　attendance　in　the　future；
  atone　for　my　negligence　in　the　past。　　Despite　all　our　efforts；
  however；　Maitland　steadily　grew　worse。　　Gwen　watched　by　him　night
  and　day　until　I　was　finally　o