you not risk something on my ability? If not, God help me, for I shall
lose you; and what is life, or fame, or wealth, or any mortal thing to
me, without you? I cannot accept your father's decision; YOU must decide
my fate.

You see I have kept away from you until I can do so no more. All this
time the world to me has seemed to want the sun, and my heart pines and
sickens for one sight of you.

Darling Rosa, pray let me look at your face once more.

When this reaches you I shall be at your gate. Let me see you, though
but for a moment, and let me hear my fate from no lips but yours.--My
own love, your heart-broken lover,

CHRISTOPHER STAINES.


This letter stunned her at first. Her mind of late had been turned away
from love to such stern realities. Now she began to be sorry she had not
told him. "Poor thing!" she said to herself, "he little knows that now
all is changed. Papa, I sometimes think, would deny me nothing now; it
is I who would not marry him--to be buried by him in a month or two.
Poor Christopher!"

The next moment she started up in dismay. Why, her father would miss
him. No; perhaps catch him waiting for her. What would he think? What
would Christopher think?--that she had shown her papa his letter.

She rang the bell hard. The footman came.