e, and I want to rid you of the burden and annoyance of
a hated wife. So, farewell forever in this world, and nay you be
very happy all your days.

"ZOE."

Her tears fell fast as she wrote; she had to wipe them away again and
again, and the card was so blotted and blistered by them that some of the
words were scarcely legible, but there was not time to write another; so
she put it in the envelope and laid it on the toilet table, where it would
be sure to catch his eye.

Then taking up her shawl and satchel, she sent one tearful farewell glance
around the room, and stole noiselessly down-stairs and out of the house by
a side door. It caught her dress in closing, but she was unaware of that
for a moment, as she stood still on the step, remembering with a sudden
pang, that was more than half regret, that the deed was done beyond
recall, for the dead-latch was down, and she had no key with which to
effect an entrance; she must go on now, whether she would or not.

She took a step forward, and found she was last; she could neither go on
nor retreat. Oh, dreadful to be caught there and her scheme at the same
time baffled and revealed!

All at once she saw it in a new light. "Oh, how angry, how very angry
Edward would be! What would he do and say to her? Certainly, she had given
him sufficient reason to deem it necessary to lock her up; for what right
had she to go away to stay without his knowledge and consent? she who had
taken a solemn vow--in the presence of her dying father, too--to love,
honor and obey him as long as they both should live. Oh, it would be too
disgraceful to be caught so!"

She exerted all her strength in the effort to wrench herself free, even at
the cost of tearing the dress and being obliged to travel with it
unrepaired; but in vain; the material was too strong to give way, and she
sank down on the step in a state of pitiable fright and despair.

She heard the clock in the hall strike two. Even the servants would not be
stirring before five; so she had at least three hours to sit there alone
and exposed to danger from tramps, thieves, and burglars, if any should
happen to come about.

And oh, the miserable prospect before her when this trying vigil should be
over. How grieved mamma would be! dear mamma, whom she loved with true
daughterly affection; how stern and angry Grandpa Dinsmore, how astonished
and displeased all the others;