did not speak of danger, but Hugh, who watched him
narrowly, read it in his face, and following him down the stairs, asked
to be told the truth.

"She is going to be very sick. She may get well, but I have little to
hope from symptoms like hers."

That was the doctor's reply, and with a sigh Hugh went back to the sick
girl, who had given him little else than sarcasm and scorn.

CHAPTER XL

POOR 'LINA

Drearily the morning dawned, but there were no bridal slumbers to be
broken, no bridal farewells said. There were indeed good-byes to be
spoken, for Anna was impatient to be gone. But for Adah, who must be
found, and Willie, who must be cared for, and Charlie, who was waiting
for her, she would have tarried longer, and helped to nurse the girl
whom she pitied so much. But even Alice said she had better go, and so
at an early hour she was ready to leave the house she had entered under
so unpleasant circumstances.

"I would like to see 'Lina," she said to Alice, who carried the request
to the sick room.

But 'Lina refused. "I can't," she said; "she hates, she despises me, and
she has reason. Tell her I was not worthy to be her sister; tell her
anything you like; but the doctor--oh, Alice, do you think he'll come,
just for a minute, before he goes?"

It was not a pleasant thing for the doctor to meet 'Lina now face to
face, for of course she wished to reproach him for his treachery. But
she did not--she thought only of herself; and when at last, urged on by
Anna and Alice, he entered into her presence, she only offered him her
hand at first, without a single word. He was shocked to find her so
sick, for a few hours had worked a marvelous change in her, and he
shrank from the bright eyes fixed so eagerly on his face.

"Oh Dr. Richards," she began at last, "if I loved you less it would not
be so hard to tell you what I must. I did love you, bad as I am, but I
meant to deceive you. It was for me that Adah kept silence at Terrace
Hill. Adah, I almost hate her for having crossed my path."

There was a fearfully vindictive gleam in the bright eyes now, and the
doctor shudderingly looked away, while 'Lina, with a soft tone,
continued: "You believed me rich, and whether you loved me afterward or
not, you sought me first for my money. I kept up the delusion, for in no
other way could I have won you. Dr. Richards, if I die, as perhaps I
may, I shall have one less sin for which to atone, if I confess to you
that ins