I thought I would have liked to die; but not
now--now I know that Edward loves me I would not care to die; it would
be terrible to die before I was married. Wouldn't it, Alice? . . . But you
don't answer me; did you never think about death?'

Then, as the thin wailing voice sank into her ears, Alice started from
her dreams, and she strove to submit her attention to her sister.

'Yes, dear, of course I have. Death is, no doubt, a very terrible thing,
but we can do no good by thinking of it.'

'Oh yes, we should, Alice, for this is not the only world--there is
another and a better one; and, as mamma says, and as religion says, we
are only here to try and get a good place in it. You are surprised to
hear me speak like this; you think I never think of anything but the
colour of a bonnet-string, but I do.'

'I am sure you do, Olive; I never doubted it; but I wish you would now
do what the doctor orders, and refrain from talking and exciting
yourself, and try and get well. You may then think of death and other
gloomy things as much as you like.'

'You don't understand, Alice; one can't think of death, then--one has so
much else to think of; one is so taken up with other ideas. It is only
when one is ill that one really begins to see what life is. You have
never been ill, and you don't know how terribly near death seems to have
come--very near. Perhaps I ought to see the priest; it would be just as
well, just in case I should die. Don't you think so?'

'I don't think there is any more danger of your dying now than there was
a month ago, dear, and I am sure you can have nothing on your mind that
demands immediate confession,' she said, her voice trembling a little.

'Oh yes, I have, Alice, and a very great deal; I have been very wicked.'

'Very wicked!'

'Well, I know you aren't pious, Alice, and perhaps you don't believe
there is harm in such things, but I do; and I know it was very wrong,
and perhaps a mortal sin, to try to run away with Edward. But I loved
him so very dearly, and I was so tired of staying at home and being
taken out to parties. And when you are in love with a man you forget
everything. At least I did; and when he asked to kiss me I couldn't
refuse. You won't tell anyone, Alice dear, that I told you this.' Alice
shook her head, and Olive continued, in spite of all that the doctor had
said:

'But you don't know how lonely I feel at home; you never feel lonely, I
dare say, for you only think of your