of an emergency," and he thrust a check into her hand.

"Stop," he continued, as the carriage came round--"did you put your
clothes away where no one can see them, or are you taking them all
with you?"

"Why, no, why should I?" she answered. "Ain't I coming back?"

"Yes, yes--Heaven only knows," he said. "Oh, Rosamond, it may be I am
parting with you forever, and at such a moment, is it a sin for you to
kiss me? You asked to do so once. Will you do it now?"

"I will," she replied, and she kissed, unhesitatingly, his quivering
lips.

The Lawries were at the door--Mrs. Peters also--and forcing down his
emotion, he bade her a calm good-by. The carriage rolled away, but ere
its occupants were six miles from Riverside, every article of dress
which had belonged to Rosamond had disappeared from her room, which
presented the appearance of any ordinary bed-chamber, and when Mrs.
Peters, in great alarm, came to Mr. Browning, asking what he supposed
had become of them, he answered quietly--"I have put them in my
private closet and locked them up!"




CHAPTER VI.

MARIE PORTER.