vacancy in his eyes, of a man whose thoughts
are far away. My mother's eyes were red
with weeping; but in his presence she showed
the love and hid the sorrow, knowing that to
display the latter would only distress him
still more. All that day, and for several
days afterwards, he went wandering up and
down the house and garden, never going
outside the gate; moody, unobservant, and
rarely speaking to anyone; never sitting down
from daylight to dark for more than a minute
or two at a time. My heart misgave me;
and in these signs I thought I discerned
the sad forerunners of his old malady. I
watched him closely, without seeming to do
so.

We all tried to engage him in cheerful
conversation, and to win him back to
some of the interests of everyday life.
He repulsed our proffered sympathy, gently
but firmly; replied in monosyllables, and
retreated into solitude as quickly as possible.
It was a continual heartache to us to see one
whom we loved so well thus build up of his
own free will a barrier between us. He
would stay out till late at night, pacing to
and fro on the garden terrace, musing, and
muttering sadly to himself. My bedroom
window looked on this terrace. On going to
bed one night I found the window open, and
approaching to shut it, heard Neville walking
backwards and forwards beneath it. I looked
out, and could just distinguish his tall gaunt
figure. He was muttering to himself, and
tossing his arms wildly as he walked.

"Disgraced! disgraced!" he exclaimed
despairingly as he approached." Can I see
her thus ?  Can I ask her to love me, to
comfort me, to be my wife ? Ah, me! I see
no light, no way out of this dreary valley.
But I will go tomorrow! This torture is
killing me! I will see her, and know the
truth—I will tell her—"

Here his voice died to a whisper in the
distance. I closed my window gently, and
prayed heaven to comfort this unhappy soul.
The words I had overheard struck cold to my
heart. Scant comfort would he find where
he looked for it most: that I knew. What
was the fascination that drew two strong
men to the side of this girl? And how would
such rivalry end ? Vain questions which
Time, the great solver of riddles, alone could
answer.

He dressed himself more carefully than
usual the following morning; and, at an
early hour in the forenoon, left home for
Doctor Graile's. He did not return till after
dark, and going directly up-stairs, without
seeing any one, locked himself in his own
room. We all retired at the usual time. I
sat down in my bedroom, waiting for I knew
not what. The  clock struck twelve. The
sound had scarcely died away before I heard
Neville's door opened, and then stealthy foot-
steps descending the stairs. I followed after
as close as I durst go. Opening the back
door, Neville stepped out into the garden.
I did the same, and then cowered down
behind some bushes, waiting to see what he
would do next. Instead of going out of the
garden, as I had half expected, he began to
walk up and down on the terrace. I could
not leave my concealment without certain
discovery. Again his wild words fell upon
my ears.

"Engaged to another! " he muttered.
"Well, well, it's only the way of the world—
to deceive, and to be deceived. Fool that I
was to believe anything she told me! Never
cared for me, she says. Her promises, open
and implied, were lies all. O, heaven! to
think of that fair face, and all so black
within! She tore my heart out of me,
and now she flings it back smilingly in
my face. But let her beware! let them
both beware! The fiend and I are good
friends now," and he laughed loudly, a
wild hollow laugh. "We have joined hands
on't, and nobody knows our secret. And
now to bed, for we shall want all our wits
tomorrow. O, sweetheart! the reckoning
shall be a bitter one."

He took one more turn along the terrace,
and then went in, bolting the door behind
him. Thus shut out, I slunk round to the
scullery window, and finding it unfastened,
crept through, and so up-stairs to bed.
Neville was sleeping heavily already.

Never since his return home had Neville
been so gay, so talkative, so full of spirits as
he was on the following morning. But with
his words of last night ringing in my ears, I
liked his present mirth less than his previous
depression. My mother was charmed to see
him so much better; and my father forgot
the time, and stayed talking till half-past
nine—a thing he had never been guilty of
before, and which astonished the scholars as
much as it did himself. I mentioned my
suspicions to my father as we walked towards
the school. He could not see any foundation
for them until I told him what I had overheard
on the previous night. He looked
grave at this.

"I think," said he, " it is hardly necessary
to take the opinion of Doctor Graile in the
matter, as Philip is sure to be here either
tonight or in the morning; and as he  has
devoted much of his time to the study of
mental derangements, it will be as well to
take his advice first. But, Caleb, stay you
at home today, and keep a watchful eye on
my poor boy. I hope truly that it will not
be necessary to employ coercive measures.
Good-bye! The boys will think I am either
dead or ill."

So I returned home; and all forenoon and
all afternoon, I kept by Neville's side. He
was boisterously gay the whole time. He
did not seem to have any suspicion why I
kept so near him; but once or twice he fixed
a glittering eye on me, and asked me sharply