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If it were true?

He looked hopelessly at the ain another thought, previously ignored, pierced him like a sword If it were true; if Amy herself, poor pretty A and crying out like a child shut out at night, against his own skeptical heartif it were indeed true that during those two hours she had had her heart's desire, and had been one with his very soul, in a manner to which no earthly union could aspirehow had he treated her? Even at this thought a shudder of repulsion ran through him It was unnatural, detestableyet hoeet! What did the Church say of such things? But what if religion rong, and this indeed were the satiety of the higher nature of which hts fleifter than clouds as he sat there, bewildering, torturing, beckoning He s

"Mr Vincent," he cried

The kindly face turned to hiain

"Mr Vincent"

"Hush, I quite understand," said the fatherly voice "It is a shock, I know; but Truth is a little shocking sometimes Wait I perfectly understand that you must have time You must think it all over, and verify this You must not commit yourself But I think you had better have my address The ladies are a little too emotional, are they not? I expect you would sooner come to see me without them"

He laid his card on the little tea-table and stood up

"Good-night, Mr Baxter"

Laurie took his hand, and looked for a one

II

That was a little while ago, now, and Laurie sitting over breakfast had had time to think it out, and by an act of sustained will to suspend his judgain to the state I have described--to nervous interest--no one, and certainly the skepticisie and his rave

Soht be real and solid truth under it all, and familiarity had bred ease Yet there was nervousness there too at the thought of going ho alone, he passionately desired it all to be true; other moods in which he was acquiescent; but in both there was a faint discoie, and a certain instinct of propitiation towards her