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hand； the way he wrought on me！ O villain！ villain！ Uncle；
forgive your poor silly niece； that the world is too wicked and too
clever for her to live in。〃
〃Because you are too good and innocent；〃 said Uncle Philip。
〃There； don't you be down…hearted。 I'll soon bring you two
together againa couple of ninnies。 I'll tell you what is the
first thing： you must come and live with me。 Come at once； bag and
baggage。 He won't show here； the sulky brute。〃
Philip Staines had a large house in Cavendish Square； a crusty old
patient； like himself； had left him。 It was his humor to live in a
corner of this mansion； though the whole was capitally furnished by
his judicious purchases at auctions。
He gave Rosa and her boy and his nurse the entire first floor； and
told her she was there for life。 〃Look here；〃 said he； 〃this last
affair has opened my eyes。 Such women as you are the sweeteners of
existence。 You leave my roof no more。 Your husband will make the
same discovery。 Let him run about； and be miserable a bit。 He
will have to come to book。〃
She shook her head sadly。
〃My Christopher will never say a harsh word to me。 All the worse
for me。 He will quietly abandon a creature so inferior to him。〃
〃Stuff！〃
Now； she was always running to the window； in hope that Christopher
would call on his uncle； and that she might see him； and one day
she gave a scream so eloquent； Philip knew what it meant。 〃Get you
behind that screen； you and your boy；〃 said he； 〃and be as still as
mice。 Stop！ give me that letter the scoundrel forged； and the
ring。〃
This was hardly done； and Rosa out of sight； and trembling from
head to foot； when Christopher was announced。 Philip received him
very affectionately； but wasted no time。
〃Been to Kent Villa yet？〃
〃No；〃 was the grim reply。
〃Why not？〃
〃Because I have sworn never to say an angry word to her again； and；
if I was to go there； I should say a good many angry ones。 Oh；
when I think that her folly drove me to sea； to do my best for her；
and that I was nearer death for that woman than ever man was； and
lost my reason for her； and went through toil and privations；
hunger； exile； mainly for her； and then to find the banns cried in
open church； with that scoundrel！say no more； uncle。 I shall
never reproach her； and never forgive her。〃
〃She was deceived。〃
〃I don't doubt that； but nobody has a right to be so great a fool
as all that。〃
〃It was not her folly； but her innocence； that was imposed on。 You
a philosopher； and not know that wisdom itself is sometimes imposed
on； and deceived by cunning folly！ Have you forgotten your
Milton？
〃'At Wisdom's gate； Suspicion sleeps；
And deems no ill where no ill seems。'
Come； come！ are you sure you are not a little to blame？ Did you
write home the moment you found you were not dead？〃
Christopher colored high。
〃Evidently not；〃 said the keen old man。 〃Ah； my fine fellow！ have
I found the flaw in your own armor？〃
〃I did wrong； but it was for her。 I sinned for her。 I could not
bear her to be without money； and I knew the insuranceI sinned
for her。 She has sinned AGAINST me。〃
〃And she had much better have sinned against God； hadn't she？ He
is more forgiving than we perfect creatures that cheat insurance
companies。 And so； my fine fellow； you hid the truth from her for
two or three months。〃
No answer。
〃Strike off those two or three months； would the banns have ever
been cried？〃
〃Well； uncle；〃 said Christopher； hard pressed； 〃I am glad she has
got a champion； and I hope you will always keep your eye on her。〃
〃I mean to。〃
〃Good…morning。〃
〃No； don't be in a hurry。 I have something else to say； not so
provoking。 Do you know the arts by which she was made to believe
you wished her to marry again？〃
〃I wished her to marry again！ Are you mad； uncle？〃
〃Whose handwriting is on this envelope？〃
〃Mine； to be sure。〃
〃Now； read the letter。〃
Christopher read the forged letter。
〃Oh； monstrous！〃
〃This was given her with your ruby ring； and a tale so artful that
nothing we read about the devil comes near it。 This was what did
it。 The Earl of Tadcaster brought her title； and wealth； and
love。〃
〃What； he too！ The little cub I saved； and lost myself forblank
him！ blank him！〃
〃Why； you stupid ninny！ you forget you were dead； and he could not
help loving her。 How could he？ Well； but you see she refused him。
And why？ because he came without a forged letter from YOU。 Do you
doubt her love for you？〃
〃Of course I do。 She never loved me as I loved her。〃
〃Christopher； don't you say that before me； or you and I shall
quarrel。 Poor girl！ she lay； in my sight； as near death for you as
you were for her。 I'll show you something。〃
He went to a cabinet； and took out a silver paper； he unpinned it；
and laid Rosa's beautiful black hair upon her husband's knees。
〃Look at that； you hard…hearted brute！〃 he roared to Christopher；
who sat； anything but hard…hearted； his eyes filling fast； at the
sad proof of his wife's love and suffering。
Rosa could bear no more。 She came out with her boy in her hand。
〃O uncle； do not speak harshly to him； or you will kill me quite！〃
She came across the room； a picture of timidity and penitence； with
her whole eloquent body bent forward at an angle。 She kneeled at
his knees； with streaming eyes； and held her boy up to him： 〃Plead
for your poor mother； my darling。 She mourns her fault； and will
never excuse it。〃
The cause was soon decided。 All Philip's logic was nothing；
compared with mighty nature。 Christopher gave one great sob； and
took his darling to his heart； without one word； and he and Rosa
clung together； and cried over each other。 Philip slipped out of
the room； and left the restored ones together。
I have something more to say about my hero and heroine； but must
first deal with other characters； not wholly uninteresting to the
reader； I hope。
Dr。 Staines directed Phoebe Falcon how to treat her husband。 No
medicine； no stimulants； very wholesome food； in moderation； and
the temperature of the body regulated by tepid water。 Under these
instructions； the injured but still devoted wife was the real
healer。 He pulled through； but was lame for life； and ridiculously
lame； for he went with a spring halt；a sort of hop…and…go…one
that made the girls laugh； and vexed Adonis。
Phoebe found the diamonds； and offered them all to Staines； in
expiation of his villany。 〃See；〃 she said； 〃he has only spent
one。〃
Staines said he was glad of it； for her sake； for he must be just
to his own family。 He sold them for three thousand two hundred
pounds； but for the big diamond he got twelve thousand pounds； and
I believe it was worth double the money。
Counting the two sums； and deducting six hundred for the stone Mr。
Falcon had embezzled； he gave her over seven thousand pounds。
She stared at him； and changed color at so large a sum。 〃But I
have no claim on that； sir。〃
〃That is a good joke；〃 said he。 〃Why； you and I are partners in
the whole thingyou and I and Dick。 Was it not with his horse and
rifle I bought the big diamond？ Poor dear； honest； manly Dick！
No； the money is honestly yours； Mrs。 Falcon； but don't trust a
penny to your husband。〃
〃He will never see it； sir。 I shall take him back； and give him
all his heart can ask for； with this； but he will be little more
than a servant in the house now； as long as Dick is single； I know
that；〃 and she could still cry at the humiliation of her villain。
Staines made her promise to write to him； and she did write him a
sweet； womanly letter； to say that they were making an enormous
fortune； and hoped to end their days in England。 Dick sent his
kind love and thanks。
I will add； what she only said by implication； that she was happy
after all。 She still contrived to love the thing she could not
respect。 Once； when an officious friend pitied her for her
husband's lameness； she said； 〃Find me a face like his。 The lamer
the better； he can't run after the girls； like SOME。〃
Dr。 Staines called on Lady Cicely Treherne； the footman stared。 He
left his card。
A week afterwards； she called on him。 She had a pink tinge in her
cheeks； a general animation； and her face full of brightness and
archness。
〃Bless me！〃 said he bluntly； 〃is this you？ How you are improved！〃
〃Yes；〃 said she； 〃and I am come to thank you for your pwescwiption：
I followed it to the lettaa。〃
〃Woe is me！ I have forgotten it。〃
〃You diwected me to mawwy a nice man。〃
〃Never： I hate a nice man。〃
〃No； noan Iwishman： and I have done it。〃
〃Good gracious！ you don't mean that！ I must be more cautious in my
prescriptions。 After all； it seems to agree。〃
〃Admiwably。〃
〃He loves you？〃
〃To distwaction。〃
〃He amuses you？〃
〃Pwodigiously。 Come and see。〃
Dr。 and Mrs。 Staines live with Uncle Philip。 The insurance money
is returned； but the diamond money makes them very easy。 Staines
follows his profession now under great advantages： a noble house；
rent free； the curiosity that attaches to a man who has been canted
out of a ship in mid…ocean； and lives to tell it； and