"He would kill me if he did; he once swore that he would kill me if I ever approached him or put in any claim to him till he was ready to own me for his wife and give me the place that is due me.

Don't tell me that I have betrayed myself, I've been so careful; kept myself so entirely out of his eyes, even last night when I saw the doctor go in and felt that it was for him, and pictured him to myself as dying without a word from me or a look to help me bear the pain.

He was ill, wasn't he ?--but he got better.

I saw him come out, very feeble and uncertain.

Not like himself, not like the strong and too, too handsome man who has wrung my heart in his hand of steel,--wrung it and thrown it away." Sobs shook her and she stopped from lack of power to utter either her terror or her grief.