deeply distressed, and sought the dining-room, where I found the
Captain and Eeny. I related the whole interview, and impressed upon
them the necessity of obeying her. The breakfast-bell rang while we
were talking, and she came in.

Both Eeny and her father were as much shocked as I had been by the
haggard change in her; but neither spoke of it to her. We tried to
be at our ease during breakfast, and to talk naturally; but the
effort was a miserable failure. She never spoke, except when
directly addressed, and ate nothing. She sat down to the piano, as
usual, after breakfast, and practised steadily for two hours. Then
she took her hat and a book, and went out to the garden to read. At
luncheon-time she returned, with no better appetite, and after that
went up to Mr. Richards' room. She stayed with him two or three
hours, and then sat down to her embroidery-frame, still cold, and
impassionate, and silent. Father Francis came up in the evening;
but she was cold and unsocial with him as with the rest of us. So
that first day ended, and so every day has gone on since. What she
suffers, she suffers in solitude and silence; only her worn face,
haggard cheeks, and hollow eyes tell. She goes through the usual
routine of life with treadmill regularity, and is growing as thin
as a shadow. She neither eats, nor sleeps, nor complains; and she
is killing herself by inches. We are worried to-death about her;
and yet we are afraid to say one word in her hearing. Come to us,
Frank; you are a physician, and though you cannot "minister to a
mind diseased," you can at least tell us what will help her failing
body. Your presence will do Captain Danton good, too; for I never
saw him so miserable! We are all most unhappy, and any addition to
our family circle will be for the better. We do not go out; we have
few visitors; and the place is as lonely as a tomb. The gossip and
scandal have spread like wildfire; the story is in everybody's
mouth; even in the newspapers. Heaven forbid it should come to
Kate's ears! This stony calm of hers is not to be trusted. It
frightens me far more than any hysterical burst of sorrow. She has
evidently some deep purpose in her mind--I am afraid to think it
may be of revenge. Come to us, brother, and try if you can help us
in our trouble.