He comforted her with kisses and soothing smoothings of the hair. No,
no, he said; he would not be selfish. He would remember that a father
was the trustee of his child's happiness.

"But I know I can only be happy with you, my father!" she cried; but
it was of no avail. He, being a father and not a mother, was unable to
perceive what was in the girl's heart. He considered it quite natural
that she should be a trifle hysterical in anticipating her new
life--that strange untraveled country! Ah, is there anything more
pathetic, he thought, than a girl's anticipations of wifehood? But he
would do his duty, and he fancied that he was doing his duty when he
put aside her earnest, almost passionate protestations, and told her
how happy she would be with the man who was lucky enough to have won the
pure treasure of her love.

What could she do? The terrible doubts of that month of doubting
broadened into certainties. She knew that she did not love George
Holland; but she had not the courage to face Philistia as the girl who
did not know her own mind. Philistia was very solid on such points as
the sacredness of an engagement between a man and a woman. It was a
contract practically as abiding as marriage, in the eyes of Philistia;
and, indeed, Phyllis herself had held this belief, and had never
hesitated to express it. So nothing was left to her but to marry George
Holland. After all, he was a brilliant and distinguished man, and had
not a score of other girls wanted to marry him? Oh, she would marry him
and give up her life to the splendid duties which devolve upon the wife
of a clergyman.

But just as she had made up her mind to face her fate, Mr. Holland's
fate induced him to publish the book at which he had been working for