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But he seemed inclined to push the affair to a clear conclusion now that he had commenced After the lapse of another day or two he proceeded to fulfil his pro woman in three of the London papers The advertisement was a carefully considered and even attractive effusion, calculated to win the heart, or at least the understanding, of any woman who had a spark of her own nature left in her

There was no answer

Three days later he repeated the experiment; with the same result as before

'I cannot try any further,' said Manston speciously to the rector, his sole auditor throughout the proceedings 'Mr Raunham, I'll tell you the truth plainly: I don't love her; I do love Cytherea, and the whole of this business of searching for the other woainst ain' 'But you will do your duty at least?' said Mr Raunham

'I have done it,' said Manston 'If ever a man on the face of this earth has done his duty towards an absent wife, I have towards her --living or dead--at least,' he added, correcting hilected her before that time--I own that, as I have owned it before' 'I should, if I were you, adopt otherfails, in spite of s,' said the rector e oncemade any attempt three several times' When Manston had left the study, the rector stood looking at the fire for a considerable length of time, lost in profound reflection

He went to his private diary, and afterit dry, wiping it on his sleeve, and then dipping it again, he took the following note of events:-'January 25--Mr Manston has just seen me for the third time on the subject of his lost wife There have been these peculiarities attending the three interviews:-'The first My visitor, whilst expressing by words his great anxiety to do everything for her recovery, showed plainly by his bearing that he was convinced he should never see her again

'The second He had left off feigning anxiety to do rightly by his first wife, and honestly asked after Cytherea's welfare

'The third (and most remarkable) He see his love for Cytherea (which certainly is strong) and evincing the usual indifference to the first Mrs Manston's fate, he was unable to conceal the intensity of his eagerness for ain_ for her' A week after the second, the third advertiseraph was attached, which stated that this would be the last time the announcement would appear