you be so cruel to your sister? How can you
go taking his hand, and looking as if he were your lover? You never had
any feeling for me, though everybody thinks so much of you. And now I
know what I have to expect. The moment my poor dear Fred's head is laid
in the grave--as soon as ever you have me in your own hands, and nobody
to protect me!--oh, my Fred! my Fred!--as soon as you are gone, this is
how they are using your poor helpless family!--and soon, soon I shall
die too, and you will not be encumbered with _me_!"

Long before this sobbing speech was concluded, Dr Rider had risen to his
feet, and was pacing through the little room with hasty steps of disgust
and rage, and an agitation which overwhelmed all his attempts to master
it; while Nettie sat supporting her head in her hands, pressing her
fingers upon her hot eyes, beholding that fair impossible vision break
and disappear from before her. Nettie's heart groaned within her, and
beat against the delicate bosom which, in its tender weakness, was
mighty as a giant's. She made no answer to her sister's outcry, nor
attempted to comfort the hysterical sobbing into which Susan fell.
Nettie gave up the hopeless business without being deceived by those
selfish demonstrations. She was not even fortunate enough to be able to
persuade herself into admiring love and enthusiasm for those to whom
necessity obliged her to give up her own life. She said nothing; she
knew the sobs would subside, the end would be gained, the insignificant
soul lapse into comfort, and with a sigh of compulsory resignation
Nettie yielded once more to her fate.

"Dr Edward, do not think of me any more," she said, resolutely, rising
and going out to the door with him, in her simplicity and courage. "You
see very well it is impossible. I know you see it as well as I do. If
we could be friends as we once were, I should be very, very glad, but I
don't think it is possible just now. Don't say anything. We both know
how it is, and neither of us can help it. If we could get not to think
of each other, that would be best," said Nettie, with another sigh; "but
in the mean time let us say good-bye, and speak of it no more."

If the doctor did not take his dismissal exactly so--if Nettie's
identification of her own sentiments with his did lead to a warmer
tenderness in that farewell, which could not be final while such a
bond united them, it was at least with an absolute conviction of the
impossibility of