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She accepts things as they appear, without any suspicion of mean ulterior designs. It's a pity, of course! it's a pity she can't be worldly-wise, and scheme and plot and plan and lie like the rest of us! However, your course is plain first interview Lennox and then follow Thelma. She can't have left Hull yet, there are scarcely any boats running to Norway at this season.

Hear me out, Sir Philip and you too, you 'rose of the northern forest', as Sigurd used to call you! You have not forgotten Sigurd?" "Forgotten him?" said Thelma softly. "Never! . . . I loved him too well!" Ulrika's head dropped. "He was my son!" she said. There was a silence of complete astonishment.

"You, one of that strong, cruel race who must conquer all they see; who covet everything fair under heaven, and will buy it, even at the cost of blood and tears! Do you think I will unlock the door of my treasure to you? No, no; besides," and his voice sank lower, "what should you do with Thelma? She is dead!"

Her companion eyed her pale face compassionately, and taking up her sleeping baby from the shawl on which she had laid it while ministering to Thelma's needs, began to rock it slowly to and fro. Thelma, meanwhile, became sensible of the rapid movement of the train. "We have left London?" she asked with an air of surprise. "Nearly half an hour ago, my dear."

Presently a great rush of people began to stream towards her from one of the platforms, and trucks of luggage, heralded by shouts of, "Out of the way, there!" and "By'r leave!" came trundling rapidly along the tidal train from the Continent had just arrived. Dismayed at the increasing confusion and uproar, Thelma addressed herself to an official with a gold band round his hat.

Thelma smiled it was pleasant to be spoken to, she thought. "Yes," she answered. "All the way to Hull." "'Tis a cold night for a journey," continued her companion. "Yes, indeed," answered Thelma. "It must be cold for your little baby." And unconsciously her voice softened and her eyes grew sad as she looked across at the sleeping infant. "Oh, he's as warm as toast!" laughed the mother cheerily.

And you," he hesitated, and turned with a low bow to Thelma, who had listened to his words with a gradually dawning brightness on her face "you will, I trust, exonerate us from any intentional offense towards your father or yourself? Our visit has proved unlucky, but "

And so he stood silent, till Thelma grew anxious. "Ah, you are not satisfied!" she said plaintively. "I am not as you wish! There is something wrong." He drew her closely into his arms, kissing her with an almost pathetic tenderness. "Thelma, my love, my sweet one!" and his strong voice trembled. "You do not know how should you? what I think of you! Satisfied? Pleased?

Beau read it over and over again, his blood firing with honest indignation. Thelma! Thelma that pure white lily of womanhood, was she to have her stainless life blurred by the trail of such a thing as the Snake? and was Errington's honor to be attainted in his absence, and he condemned without a word uttered in his defence?

Now and then he ruffled his white hair impatiently with his hand, his daughter's adventure in Mr. Dyceworthy's house had vexed his proud spirit. He knew well enough that the minister's apology meant nothing that the whole village would be set talking against Thelma more, even than before, that there was no possibility of preventing scandal so long as Dyceworthy was there to start it.