Neither Clare nor his wife referred to the fact; though it was present to both their minds--present like an evil guest.

Must they now give her up?
Their hearts shrank and trembled at the bare idea.

How plainly each read in the other's face the trouble which only the lips concealed! Never had Fanny looked so lovely in the eyes of Claire as she did on that morning, when she bounded to his side and claimed a parting kiss, ere he left for his daily round of business.

Could he give her up?
The thought choked in their utterance the words of love that were on his lips, and he turned from her and left the house.
As Claire, on his way to Mr.Melleville's store, came into the more business portions of the city, his thoughts on the child who was soon to be resigned, according to the tenor of his contract with her guardian, he was suddenly startled by seeing Jasper a short distance ahead, approaching from the direction in which he was going.
Happening, at the moment, to be near a cross street, he turned off suddenly, in obedience to an instinct rather than a purpose, and avoided a meeting by going out of his way.
"How vain," he sighed to himself, as the throbbing of his heart grew less heavy and his thoughts ran clear.

"I cannot so avoid this evil.
It will most surely find me out.