, BY JENNIE DAVIS BXJBTON,Author of “Strangely Wed,** “The Thorrihurst Mystery, “ The Mad'iext Marriage Kt\r Was, 44 Cecil's Secret ,M “ -1 Jifcr-cfle** Foe/’ etc., eta.CHAPTER XHL-CowconiTO.►•‘And what of our duty to her?” asked Rose, bitterly. “He would leave j her, I know. It may come to that yet, j but we will never be the ones to strike j her that blow. And oh, Power! I am weak, weak and selfish to the core! It is 1 aot for her alone I fear, but for myself!” It upas said with a gasp, a whitening of thl; white face, a woeful deepening of the •great, black, haggard eyes that looted up at him, passionately, yet pitifully. That look, could he have read it aright* would have told him that the feafcshe spoke of was not for herself 1 alone, but also for him. He did not read it so. He only thought, with a ,sudden shock, that her nervous systemrwas completely undermined. Inwardly j resolving to remove the strain which he j believed was wearing upon her, by; speeding Launt cause, he drew her head down upon his shoulder.“What is there to fear? Surely, noth- j ing. Rose, with me beside you/'“ Suppose I w ere to tell you that you did not know all of that horrible past— that one oart cf mv life had not been so clear a page as you believe—that I have a secret hanging over me now which would bring ruin upon us all to have ; -disclosed. You love me. Power, but could your Jove for me survive that? Oh, don't answer! If it could it would be the worse for you.1’