was glad not to be obliged to promise secrecy. It might
become my imperative duty to disregard such a promise.

"You have seen both of their faces?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Then you must have observed the difference between them. There is the
same difference in their minds, though both are clouded. One is weak
almost to the point of idiocy, though strong enough where her one
settled idea is concerned. The other was once a notable character, but
her fine traits have almost vanished under the spell which has been laid
upon them by the immense disappointment which has wrecked both their
lives. I heard it all from Miss Thankful the day after we entered this
house. Miss Thankful is the older and more intellectual one. I had known
very little about them before; no more, in fact, than I have already
told you. I was consequently much astonished when they called, for I had
supposed them to be veritable recluses, but I was still more astonished
when I noted their manner and the agitated and strangely penetrating
looks they cast about them as I ushered them into the library, which
was the only room I had had time to arrange. A few minutes' further
observation of them showed me that neither of them was quite right.
Instead of entering into conversation with me they continued to cast
restless glances at the walls, ceilings, and even at the floor of
the room in which we sat, and when, in the hope of attracting their
attention to myself, I addressed them on some topic which I thought
would be interesting to them, they not only failed to listen, but turned
upon each other with slowly wagging heads, which not only revealed their
condition but awakened me to its probable cause. They were between walls
rendered dear by old associations. Till their first agitation was over I
could not hope for their attention.

"But their agitation gave no signs of diminishing and I soon saw that
their visit was far from being a ceremonial one; that it was one of
definite purpose. Preparing myself for I knew not what, I regarded them
with such open interest that before I knew it, and quite before I was
ready for any such exhibition, they were both on their knees before me,
holding up their meager arms with beseeching and babbling words which I
did not understand till later.

"I was shocked, as you may believe, and quickly raised them, at which
Miss Thankful told me their story, which I will now tell you.

"There were four of them originally, three s