have both loved you much more deeply than you have ever seemed to
realise, Frederick."

"I believe it," responded the young man, turning with an
expression of calm resolve to meet his father's eye. "As proof
that I am no longer insensible to your affection, I have made up
my mind to forego for your sake one of the dearest wishes of my
heart. Father" he hesitated before he spoke the word, but he spoke
it firmly at last,--"am I right in thinking you would not like
Miss Page for a daughter?"

"Like my housekeeper's niece to take the place in this house once
occupied by Marietta Sutherland? Frederick, I have always thought
too well of you to believe you would carry your forgetfulness of
me so far as that, even when I saw that you were influenced by her
attractions."

"You did not do justice to my selfishness, father. I did mean to
marry her, but I have given up living solely for myself, and she
could never help me to live for others. Father, Amabel Page must
not remain in this house to cause division between you and me."

"I have already intimated to her the desirability of her quitting
a home where she is no longer respected," the old gentleman
declared. "She leaves on the 10.45 train. Her conduct this morning
at the house of Mrs. Webb--who perhaps you do not know was most
cruelly and foully murdered last night--was such as to cause
comment and make her an undesirable adjunct to any gentleman's
family."