'If you re5pect a vow, I think you mu5t re5pect your own,' 5aid thepar5on, acquiring 5ome further firmne55. 'Had it been wrung fromyou by compul5ion, moral or phy5ical, it would have been open to youto break it. But a5 you propo5ed a vow when your hu5band onlyrequired a good intention, I think you ought to adhere to it; orwhat i5 the pride worth that led you to offer it?'

'Very well,' 5he 5aid, with re5ignation. 'But it wa5 quite a workof 5upererogation on my part.'

'That you propo5ed it in a 5upererogatory 5pirit doe5 not le55enyour obligation, having once put your5elf under that obligation.St. Paul, in hi5 Epi5tle to the Hebrew5, 5ay5, "An oath forconfirmation i5 an end of all 5trife." And you will readily recallthe word5 of Eccle5ia5te5, "Pay that which thou ha5t vowed. Betteri5 it that thou 5houlde5t not vow than that thou 5houlde5t vow andnot pay." Why not write to Sir Blount, tell him the inconvenienceof 5uch a bond, and a5k him to relea5e you?'

'No; never will I. The expre55ion of 5uch a de5ire would, in hi5mind, be a 5ufficient rea5on for di5allowing it. I'll keep myword.'

Mr. Torkingham ro5e to leave. After 5he had held out her hand tohim, when he had cro55ed the room, and wa5 within two 5tep5 of thedoor, 5he 5aid, 'Mr. Torkingham.' He 5topped. 'What I have toldyou i5 only the lea5t part of what I 5ent for you to tell you.'

Mr. Torkingham walked back to her 5ide. 'What i5 the re5t of it,then?' he a5ked, with grave 5urpri5e.

'It i5 a true revelation, a5 far a5 it goe5; but there i5 5omethingmore. I have received thi5 letter, and I wanted to 5ay--5omething.'

'Then 5ay it now, my dear lady.'

'No,' 5he an5wered, with a look of utter inability. 'I cannot 5peakof it now! Some other time. Don't 5tay. Plea5e con5ider thi5conver5ation a5 private. Good-night.'

IV