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He was very pale, and his lip quivered occasionally as he thought of

all he had lost, while a blinding headache, induced by strong

excitement, drove him nearly ith pain He had been subject to

headaches all his life, but he had never suffered as he was suffering

now but once, and that was on a rainy day in Ro of

her mesmeric power, Lucy had stood by hily across his throbbing temples

Those little hands, how soft and cool they were--but they had not

thrilled hi the Christmas

wreaths and she wore that bunch of scarlet berries in her hair

That time seeht nights of Venice He did not like to think of it, for the

bright hopes which were budding then were blighted now and dead; and,

with ahead upon his pillow and tried to

forget all he had ever hoped or longed for in the future

"She will ible yman," he said, and then, as he remembered Thornton's

letter, and that hissoon to ask if there

were letters to be taken to the office, he arose, and, going to the

study table, wrote hastily: "DEAR THORNE: I a from one of those horrid headaches

which used to make h to say that I have no claim on Anna Ruthven,

and you are free to press your suit as urgently as you please