THE SMUGGLE!?. 311 



act as she may judge best. I have marked you well, as you 

 know, for years. I have seen you tried as few men, perhaps, 

 are tried; and you have come out pure and honest. The last 

 trial is now arrived ; and I ask you here, before your friend, 

 your worldly friend, if you are ready to act honestly still, and 

 to annul engagements that you had no right to contract?" 



" I am," answered Sir Henry Layton ; " I am, if " 



" Ay, if 1 There is ever an ' if when men would serve 

 their own purposes against their conscience,'' said Mr. Warde, 

 sternly. 



"Xay, but hear me, my good friend," replied the young 

 officer. " I have every respect for you. Your whole cha- 

 racter commands it and deserves it, as well as your profession ; 

 but, at the same time, though I may think fit to answer you 

 candidly, in matters where I would reject any other man's in- 

 terference, yet I must shape my answer as 1 think proper, and 

 rule my conduct according to my own views. You must, 

 therefore, hear me out. I say that I am ready to give back 

 to Edith Croyland the vows she plighted me ; to set her free 

 from all engagements; to leave her, as far as possible, as if she 

 had never known Henry Layton, whatever pang it may cost 

 me, if it can be proved to me that by so doing I have not 

 given her up to misery, as well as myself. My own wretched- 

 ness I can bear; I have borne it long, cheered by one little 

 ray of hope. I can bear it still, even though that light go 

 out; but to know that by any act of mine, however seemingly 

 generous, or, as you term it honest, I had yielded her up to a 

 life of anguish, that I could not bear. Show me that this will 

 not be the case, and, as I have said before, I am ready to 

 make the sacrifice if it cost me life. Nay, more ; I returned 

 hither, prepared, if at the last, and with every effort to avert 

 it, I found that circumstances of which I know not the extent, 

 rendered the keeping of her vows to me more terrible in its 

 consequences than her union with another, however hateful he 

 may be; I came hither, prepared, I say, in such a case, to 

 set her free; and I will do it!" 



The old man took both his hands, and gazed on him with 

 a look of glad satisfaction. " Honest to the last," he said, 

 44 honest to the last! The resolution to do this, is as good as 

 the deed; for I know you are not one to fail where you have 

 resolved, But those who might exact the sacrifice are not 



