wife, to be my all, and now tell me that this promise is withdrawn, this engagement broken, I should suppose I am justified in saying you love me no longer."

She remained silent.

"Oh Rosamond," he said, changing his proud and offended tone, to one of the tenderest entreaty, "Have you forgotten the past? It is not so very long ago; have you forgotten that when I asked you if you loved me, you said that was a question I should sooner tire of asking than you would of answering.”

"No, I have not forgotten," she replied, steadily. "I worshipped you then. I did not know God, but now my Saviour has taught me that if I love anyone more than Him, I am not worthy of Him."

"But, surely the love of God and of your fellowcreatures is not incompatible. Of course it is right to love God-every one should do so-but it cannot interfere with-with our love for a human creature; it is a different sort of thing altogether. In fact, I don't see how the two can ever come in contact." And now Captain de Vere got into some confusion, and showed indeed plainly enough that, he was utterly ignorant of the true love of God.

Rosamond was fully prepared to suffer under the charges of coldness, change, unfaithfulness, fanaticism, hardness, and cruelty. She knew it was vain

to make him understand; but supported by a strength above her own, she remained firm; while sometimes he spoke with jealous anger and bitter accusation; and then again, what she found still harder to withstand, with earnest entreaty and pleading love. His only idea of religion was outward acts performed from a sense of duty. A certain amount of these duties done, left you free to follow your own pleasure. The service of love was unknown.

"I am sure, Rosamond," he said, "if you thought it right to go to church every day, and to teach in schools and all that sort of thing, you might do that wherever we were. I would never interfere with you.'

it.

“Oh, Frederick,” she replied, sadly, "that is not

You do not understand. I have tried to explain to you as well as I can, and there is no use talking any more. It is very painful, and I—”

"Oh no!" he said, angrily interrupting her, "there is no use wasting words upon such a benighted sinner as I am. Of course you take a deep interest in me, though you will never see me again, and will pray for me and all that sort of stuff, while you coolly destroy my every hope of happiHe went on passionately, "I will never believe this is all your own doing. There is some sneaking, canting scoundrel at the bottom of it, that fellow you were always writing about

ness."

what was his name? Waldegrave-I have no doubt he told you you would sell your soul to the devil if you married me."

In former days how would Rosamond's proud spirit have risen at such words; but now she felt that almost whatever de Vere might say could not make her angry, however much she might be grieved.

"I am not aware," she answered, "that Mr. Waldegrave knew anything at all about our mutual relations to one another; but if he did, I assure you, you do him great injustice in supposing that he would interfere, or attempt to influence me in any way."

"Well, if he did not do it directly, he has been the cause of making you take up these ultra views, of-of-changing you completely-and-and I hate the very sound of his name."

"You are quite mistaken. I thankfully acknowledge that I derived much help and comfort from Mr. Waldegrave; but if I am indeed completely changed, born anew, it is the work of the Holy Spirit."

Captain de Vere remained silent for a moment, and appeared to be struggling considerably for selfcontrol. When he spoke again, it was in a cold constrained manner,

"It is hopeless arguing against religious fanati

cism, and I have not the Bible at my fingers' ends as you have. I will therefore intrude no longer. If I have said anything that has offended you, I humbly ask your pardon. Unworthy though I am, I shall never cease to pray for your happiness. Farewell!" And bowing, he turned to leave the room!

"Oh, Frederick, Captain de Vere!" exclaimed poor Rosamond, rising, and extending her hand towards him, "Do not go in anger. Oh, do not leave me thus. You have not seen papa. You must stay here to-night. Let us part friends."

He took her hand, which was cold as ice. "Rosamond, I do not stay one hour, one minute longer under this roof, unless you bid me stay never to leave you again. Now, speak, decide." His face was pale as death, and he pressed her hand to pain.

She was not left unsustained. At this trying moment the words, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne," were brought forcibly to her remembrance.

"Go," she said.

He dropped her hand and rushed from the room. She fell back on the couch, and with one very bitter cry, buried her face in the cushion.

N

CHAPTER XIII.

ROSAMOND was much exhausted, and remained for some time insensible to all that was outward; but even in this moment of trial and suffering (trial which no one can estimate who has not in some degree borne the same) she knew she was not alone, she felt her Saviour God was with her; and she had not the slightest regret for what she had done, though the flesh quivered with the agony of having cast off the one dearest to her on earth. With earnest pleading she besought the Lord that though she might never again behold him here, she might meet him at God's right hand hereafter.

Colonel Leicester had entered the room and spoken to his daughter before she became aware of his presence. He enquired about Captain de Vere, of whose arrival he had heard.

"Yes, papa, he has come and "It is all over then ?"

gone."

"Yes," she answered, "and he has gone, I fear, in anger: I begged him to remain here to-night; there can be no means of his getting away before to-morrow. Dear papa, will you try and find him