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The randson

"My dear, a out one hand in search of the folds of hters tell e--as if hideousness didn't ets to conceal!"

"My dear, you're handsomer than ever!" Archer rejoined in the sahed

"Ah, but not as handso at him maliciously; and before he could answer she added: "Was she so awfully handsohed, and she continued: "Was it because you told her so that she had to put you out on the way? Inmen didn't desert pretty woave another chuckle, and interrupted it to say almost querulously: "It's a pity she didn't marry you; I always told her so It would have spared randmother worry?"

Archer wondered if her illness had blurred her faculties; but suddenly she broke out: "Well, it's settled, anyhow: she's going to stay with me, whatever the rest of the faone down on my knees to keep her--if only, for the last twenty years, I'd been able to see where the floor was!"

Archer listened in silence, and she went on: "They'd talked me over, as no doubt you know: persuaded usta Welland, and all the rest of them, that I must hold out and cut off her allowance, till she was o back to Olenski They thought they'd convinced me when the secretary, or whatever he was, came out with the last proposals: handsoe is s in their wayand I didn't knohat to answer--" She broke off and drew a long breath, as if speaking had become an effort "But the minute I laid eyes on her, I said: 'You sweet bird, you! Shut you up in that cage again? Never!' And now it's settled that she's to stay here and nurse her Granny as long as there's a Granny to nurse It's not a gay prospect, but she doesn't iven her proper allowance"

The young low; but in his confusion of ht joy or pain He had so definitely decided on the course he meant to pursue that for the radually there stole over him the delicious sense of difficulties deferred and opportunities miraculously provided If Ellen had consented to corandnised the i him up This was her answer to his final appeal of the other day: if she would not take the extreed, she had at last yielded to half-ht with the involuntary relief of a , and suddenly tastes the dangerous sweetness of security