'But

'But I was a spy, Armand, to you,' she continued. It was the knowledge that you were travelling in England that set me on your track. Orders were telegraphed to me to seek you out-to make you my friend--you, son of the minister-to deceive you. And,' she added sorrowfully, 'I have done so.'

'A spy' echoed; a spy!' 'For my father's sake--a spy. Yes, that is all I am-and all I have been-and can ever be to you. And if you will forgive me, knowing how I loved that father, and how cruelly he had been treated by his enemies-if you will only say forgiveness, I shall be happy presently.'

'You should be happy now, you have attained all that you strove for,-why should any words of mine be of any comfort?'

Because it is only you whom I have deceived, and you thought so highly of me, and had so deep a faith. Because,' she said, 'it was by that letter which you left with me that we forged your father's signature to an order for the immediate release of one terribly unfortunate-because——’

'Ha! I remember; yes, that was treachery.'

'It was a daughter's love surmounting every trust but onebecause of that, forgive me, Armand, if you can.'

'I have been cruelly deceived.'

'Because I am going away to make his life content-because you I shall never see again-forgive me, do!'

I was still silent.

'Because I am unhappy, even in the midst of my successbecause we part thus, and for ever-because, Armand, I had learned to love you very deeply at the last, and knew not what to do!'

Virginie is this true?

'Heaven be my witness that it is,' she answered solemnly. "Then'

'Nay-let me go my way now, forgiven by the only man I have loved and deceived. God bless you-kiss me and good-bye.'

She held her face up to me like a little child, and I stooped and kissed it—sign of forgiveness and of my strange love for her.

Then she tottered away, and would have fallen, had I not hastened after her, and supported her steps towards the grim man waiting for his daughter. He raised his hat as we approached, and she passed from me to him—and I saw her no more in all my after life.

F. W. ROBINSON.