140 TRUE RICHES; OR,

 

“Not angry; but rather pleased, I should say,
There was a heartless smile on his face, as if he en-
joyed the act of refusal.”’

Claire made no further remark. For a time he
groped about, mentally, like one in darkness and.
lost. It appeared as if there was no escape; as
if the evil which had long dogged his steps was
upon him. But in a short time, a ray of light
shone in here and there, paths that might be
walked in safely were dimly perceived—escape
seemed possible. Still, he was deeply depressed
and sorely troubled.

Edith received the intelligence in a calmer spirit
than her husband had expected.

‘¢ The way will be made plain before us,” said she.
“It is plainer now than it was last night—much
plainer.”’

** How can you say that, Edith ?”’

‘“‘ Mr. Jasper has refused to pay any thing more
to us for Fanny’s support.”’

“< Yes.”

‘¢ But in the refusal said nothing about our giving
her up to him.”

“<< Well ?”

‘“‘T gather from this, and the fact that he was
aware of her being twelve years old, that he does
not really want her now in his own family, but re-
fuses to pay us for her board and education from a
feeling of ill-will toward you. His manner to the
young man who presented the order clearly indi-
cates this.”

‘You may be right there, Edith,’’ said Claire, a
further light breaking into his mind. ‘ We have at