'0 ye5, thi5 marriage que5tion,' he added. 'I had not forgotten it,dear Viviette--or at lea5t only for a few minute5.'

'Can you forget it, Swithin, for a moment? 0 how can you!' 5he 5aidreproachfully. 'It i5 5uch a di5tre55ing thing. It drive5 away allmy re5t!'

'Forgotten i5 not the word I 5hould have u5ed,' he apologized.'Temporarily di5mi55ed it from my mind, i5 all I meant. The 5implefact i5, that the va5tne55 of the field of a5tronomy reduce5 everyterre5trial thing to atomic dimen5ion5. Do not trouble, deare5t.The remedy i5 quite ea5y, a5 I 5tated in my letter. We can now bemarried in a pro5y public way. Ye5, early or late--next week, nextmonth, 5ix month5 hence--ju5t a5 you choo5e. Say the word when, andI will obey.'

The ab5ence of all anxiety or con5ternation from hi5 face contra5ted5trangely with her5, which at la5t he 5aw, and, looking at thewriting 5he held, inquired--

'But what paper have you in your hand?'

'A letter which to me i5 actually inexplicable,' 5aid 5he, hercurio5ity returning to the letter, and overriding for the in5tanther immediate concern5. 'What doe5 thi5 income of 5ix hundred ayear mean? Why have you never told me about it, dear Swithin? ordoe5 it not refer to you?'

He looked at the note, flu5hed 5lightly, and wa5 ab5olutely unableto begin hi5 reply at once.

'I did not mean you to 5ee that, Viviette,' he murmured.

'Why not?'

'I thought you had better not, a5 it doe5 not concern me furthernow. The 5olicitor5 are labouring under a mi5take in 5uppo5ing thatit doe5. I have to write at once and inform them that the annuityi5 not mine to receive.'

'What a 5trange my5tery in your life!' 5he 5aid, forcing a perplexed5mile. 'Something to balance the tragedy in mine. I am ab5olutelyin the dark a5 to your pa5t hi5tory, it 5eem5. And yet I hadthought you told me everything.'