by　it。　　The　beard　gave　him　dignity；　and　hid　his　mean；　cruel　mouth。
  His　black　suit　seemed　to　say　he；　too；　had　lost　some　one　dear　to
  him；　and　that　was　a　ground　of　sympathy。
  She　received　him　kindly；　and　thanked　him　for　taking　the　trouble　to
  come　again。　　She　begged　him　to　be　seated；　and　then；　womanlike；　she
  waited　for　him　to　explain。
  But　he　was　in　no　hurry；　and　waited　for　her。　　He　knew　she　would
  speak　if　he　was　silent。
  She　could　not　keep　him　waiting　long。　　〃Mr。　Falcon；〃　said　she；
  hesitating　a　little；　〃you　have　something　to　say　to　me　about　him　I
  have　lost。〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　he　softly。　　〃I　have　something　I　could　say；　and　I　think
  I　ought　to　say　it；　but　I　am　afraid：　because　I　don't　know　what　will
  be　the　result。　　I　fear　to　make　you　more　unhappy。〃
  〃Me！　more　unhappy？　　Me；　whose　dear　husband　lies　at　the　bottom　of
  the　ocean。　　Other　poor　wounded　creatures　have　the　wretched　comfort
  of　knowing　where　he　liesof　carrying　flowers　to　his　tomb。　　But　I
  oh；　Mr。　Falcon；　I　am　bereaved　of　all：　even　his　poor　remains　lost；
  lost〃she　could　say　no　more。
  Then　that　craven　heart　began　to　quake　at　what　he　was　doing；　quaked；
  yet　persevered；　but　his　own　voice　quivered；　and　his　cheek　grew　ashy
  pale。　　No　wonder。　　If　ever　God　condescended　to　pour　lightning　on　a
  skunk；　surely　now　was　the　time。
  Shaking　and　sweating　with　terror　at　his　own　act；　he　stammered　out；
  〃Would　it　be　the　least　comfort　to　you　to　know　that　you　are　not
  denied　that　poor　consolation？　　Suppose　he　died　not　so　miserably　as
  you　think？　　Suppose　he　was　picked　up　at　sea；　in　a　dying　state？〃
  〃Ah！〃
  〃Suppose　he　lingered；　nursed　by　kind　and　sympathizing　hands；　that
  almost　saved　him？　　Suppose　he　was　laid　in　hallowed　ground；　and　a
  great　many　tears　shed　over　his　grave？〃
  〃Ah；　that　would　indeed　be　a　comfort。　　And　it　was　to　say　this　you
  came。　　I　thank　you。　　I　bless　you。　　But；　my　good；　kind　friend；　you
  are　deceived。　　You　don't　know　my　husband。　　You　never　saw　him。　　He
  perished　at　sea。〃
  〃Will　it　be　kind　or　unkind；　to　tell　you　why　I　think　he　died　as　I
  tell　you；　and　not　at　sea？〃
  〃Kind；　but　impossible。　　You　deceive　yourself。　　Ah；　I　see。　　You
  found　some　poor　sufferer；　and　were　good　to　him；　but　it　was　not　my
  poor　Christie。　　Oh；　if　it　were；　I　should　worship　you。　　But　I　thank
  you　as　it　is。　　It　was　very　kind　to　want　to　give　me　this　little；
  little　crumb　of　comfort；　for　I　know　I　did　not　behave　well　to　you；
  sir：　but　you　are　generous；　and　have　forgiven　a　poor　heart…broken
  creature；　that　never　was　very　wise。〃
  He　gave　her　time　to　cry；　and　then　said　to　her；　〃I　only　wanted　to　be
  sure　it　WOULD　be　any　comfort　to　you。　　Mrs。　Staines；　it　is　true　I
  did　not　even　know　his　name；　nor　yours。　　When　I　met；　in　this　very
  room；　the　great　disappointment　that　has　saddened　my　own　life；　I
  left　England　directly。　　I　collected　funds；　went　to　Natal；　and
  turned　land…owner　and　farmer。　　I　have　made　a　large　fortune；　but　I
  need　not　tell　you　I　am　not　happy。　　Well；　I　had　a　yacht；　and　sailing
  from　Cape　Town　to　Algoa　Bay；　I　picked　up　a　raft；　with　a　dying　man
  on　it。　　He　was　perishing　from　exhaustion　and　exposure。　　I　got　a
  little　brandy　between　his　lips；　and　kept　him　alive。　　I　landed　with
  him　at　once：　and　we　nursed　him　on　shore。　　We　had　to　be　very
  cautious。　　He　improved。　　We　got　him　to　take　egg…flip。　　He　smiled　on
  us　at　first；　and　then　he　thanked　us。　　I　nursed　him　day　and　night
  for　ten　days。　　He　got　much　stronger。　　He　spoke　to　me；　thanked　me
  again　and　again；　and　told　me　his　name　was　Christopher　Staines。　　He
  told　me　that　he　should　never　get　well。　　I　implored　him　to　have
  courage。　　He　said　he　did　not　want　for　courage；　but　nature　had　been
  tried　too　hard。　　We　got　so　fond　of　each　other。　　Oh！〃and　the
  caitiff　pretended　to　break　down；　and　his　feigned　grief　mingled　with
  Rosa's　despairing　sobs。
  He　made　an　apparent　effort；　and　said；　〃He　spoke　to　me　of　his　wife；
  his　darling　Rosa。　　The　name　made　me　start；　but　I　could　not　know　it
  was　you。　　At　last　he　was　strong　enough　to　write　a　few　lines；　and　he
  made　me　promise　to　take　them　to　his　wife。〃
  〃Ah！〃　said　Rosa。　　〃Show　them　me。〃
  〃I　will。〃
  〃This　moment。〃　　And　her　hands　began　to　work　convulsively。
  〃I　cannot；〃　said　Falcon。　　〃I　have　not　brought　them　with　me。〃
  Rosa　cast　a　keen　eye　of　suspicion　and　terror　on　him。　　His　not
  bringing　the　letter　seemed　monstrous；　and　so　indeed　it　was。　　The
  fact　is；　the　letter　was　not　written。
  Falcon　affected　not　to　notice　her　keen　look。　　He　flowed　on；　〃The
  address　he　put　on　that　letter　astonished　me。　　'Kent　Villa。'　　Of
  course　I　knew　Kent　Villa：　and　he　called　you　'Rosa。'〃
  〃How　could　you　come　to　me　without　that　letter？〃　cried　Rosa；
  wringing　her　hands。　　〃How　am　I　to　know？　　It　is　all　so　strange；　so
  incredible。〃
  〃Don't　you　believe　me？〃　said　Falcon　sadly。　　〃Why　should　I　deceive
  you？　　The　first　time　I　came　down　to　tell　you　all　this；　I　did　not
  KNOW　who　Mrs。　Staines　was。　　I　suspected；　but　no　more。　　The　second
  time　I　saw　you　in　the　church；　and　then　I　knew；　and　followed　you　to
  try　and　tell　you　all　this；　and　you　were　not　at　home　to　me。〃
  〃Forgive　me；〃　said　Rosa　carelessly：　then　earnestly；　〃The　letter！
  when　can　I　see　it？〃
  〃I　will　send；　or　bring　it。〃
  〃Bring　it！　I　am　in　agony　till　I　see　it。　　Oh；　my　darling！　my
  darling！　　It　can't　be　true。　　It　was　not　my　Christie。　　He　lies　in
  the　depths　of　the　ocean。　　Lord　Tadcaster　was　in　the　ship；　and　he
  says　so；　everybody　says　so。〃
  〃And　I　say　he　sleeps　in　hallowed　ground；　and　these　hands　laid　him
  there。〃
  Rosa　lifted　her　hands　to　heaven；　and　cried　piteously；　〃I　don't　know
  what　to　think。　　You　would　not　willingly　deceive　me。　　But　how　can
  this　be？　　Oh；　Uncle　Philip；　why　are　you　away　from　me？　　Sir；　you　say
  he　gave　you　a　letter？〃
  〃Yes。〃
  〃Oh；　why；　why　did　you　not　bring　it？〃
  〃Because　he　told　me　the　contents；　and　I　thought　he　prized　my　poor
  efforts　too　highly。　　It　did　not　occur　to　me　you　would　doubt　my
  word。〃
  〃Oh；　no：　no　more　I　do：　but　I　fear　it　was　not　my　Christie。〃
  〃I'll　go　for　the　letter　at　once；　Mrs。　Staines。〃
  〃Oh；　thank　you！　　Bless　you！　　Yes；　this　minute！〃
  The　artful　rogue　did　not　go；　never　intended。
  He　rose　TO　GO；　but　had　a　sudden　inspiration；　very　sudden；　of
  course。　　〃Had　he　nothing　about　him　you　could　recognize　him　by？〃
  〃Yes；　he　had　a　ring　I　gave　him。〃
  Falcon　took　a　black…edged　envelope　out　of　his　pocket。
  〃A　ruby　ring；〃　said　she；　beginning　to　tremble　at　his　quiet　action。
  〃Is　that　it？〃　and　he　handed　her　a　ruby　ring。
  CHAPTER　XXVII。
  Mrs。　Staines　uttered　a　sharp　cry　and　seized　the　ring。　　Her　eyes
  dilated　over　it；　and　she　began　to　tremble　in　every　limb；　and　at
  last　she　sank　slowly　back；　and　her　head　fell　on　one　side　like　a
  broken　lily。　　The　sudden　sight　of　the　ring　overpowered　her　almost
  to　fainting。
  Falcon　rose　to　call　for　assistance；　but　she　made　him　a　feeble
  motion　not　to　do　so。
  She　got　the　better　of　her　faintness；　and　then　she　fell　to　kissing
  the　ring；　in　an　agony　of　love；　and　wept　over　it；　and　still　held　it；
  and　gazed　at　it　through　her　blinding　tears。
  Falcon　eyed　her　uneasily。
  But　he　soon　found　he　had　nothing　to　fear。　　For　a　long　time　she
  seemed　scarcely　aware　of　his　presence；　and　when　she　noticed　him；　it
  was　to　thank　him；　almost　passionately。
  〃It　was　my　Christie　you　were　so　good　to：　may　Heaven　bless　you　for
  it：　and　you　will　bring　me　his　letter；　will　you　not？〃
  〃Of　course　I　will。〃
  〃Oh；　do　not　go　yet。　　It　is　all　so　strange：　so　sad。　　I　seem　to　have
  lost　my　poor　Christie　again；　since　he　did　not　die　at　sea。　　But　no；
  I　am　ungrateful　to　God；　and　ungrateful　to　the　kind　friend　that
  nursed　him　to　the　last。　　Ah；　I　envy　you　that。　　Tell　me　all。　　Never
  mind　my　crying。　　I　have　seen　the　time　I　could　not　cry。　　It　was
  worse　then　than　now。　　I　shall　always　cry　when　I　speak　of　him；　ay；
  to　my　dying　day。　　Tell　me；　tell　me　all。〃
  Her　passion　frightened　the　egotist；　but　did　not　turn　him。　　He　had
  gone　too　far。　　He　told　her　that；　after　raising　all　their　hopes；　Dr。
  Staines　had　suddenly　changed　for　the　worse；　and　sunk　rapidly；　that
  his　last　words　had　been　about　her；　and　he　had　said；　〃My　poor　Rosa；
  who　will　protect　her？〃　　That；　to　comfort　him；　he　had　said　he　would
  protect　her。　　Then　the　dying　man　had　managed　to　write　a　line　or
  two；　and　to　address　it。　　Almost　his　last　words　had　been；　〃Be　a
  father　to　my　child。〃
  〃That　is　strange。〃
  〃You　have　no　child？　　Then　it　must　have　been　you　he　meant。　　He　spoke
  of　you　as　a　child　more　than　once。〃
  〃Mr。　Falcon；　I　have　a　child；　but　born　since　I　lost　my　poor　child's
  father。〃
  〃Then　I　think　he　knew　it。　　They　say　that　dying　men　can　see　all　over
  the　world：　and　I　remember；　when　he　said　it；　his　eyes　seemed　fixed
  very　strangely；　as　if　on　something　distant。　　Oh；　how　wonderful　all
  this　is。　　May　I　see　his　child；　to　whom　I　promised〃
  The　artist　in　lies　left　his　sentence　half　completed。
  Rosa　rang；　and　sent　for　her　little　boy。
  Mr。　Falcon　admired　his　beauty；　and　said　quietly；　〃I　shall　keep　my
  vow。〃
  He　then　left　her；　with　a　promise　to　come　back　early　next　morning
  with　the　letter。
  She　let　him　go　only　on　those　conditions。
  As　soon　as　her　father　came　in；　she　ran　to　him　with　this　strange
  story。
  〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　said　he。　　〃It　is　impossible。〃
  She　showed　him　the　proof；　the　ruby　ring。
  Then　he　became　very　uneasy；　and　begged　her　not　to　tell　a　soul。　　He