ghter from
further contact with a woman such as this? And how was he to bid his
daughter behave to this woman as one woman should behave to another
in her misery? Then too he had learned to love her himself,--had
yearned to call her his own; and though this in truth was a minor
sorrow, it was one which at the moment added bitterness to the
others. But there she stood, still waiting her doom, and it was
necessary that that doom should be spoken by him.

"If this can really be true--"

"It is true. You do not think that a woman would falsely tell such a
tale as that against herself!"

"Then I fear--that this must be over between you and me."

There was a relief to her, a sort of relief, in those words. The doom
as so far spoken was so much a matter of course that it conveyed no
penalty. Her story had been told in order that that result might be
attained with certainty. There was almost a tone of scorn in her
voice as she said, "Oh yes; all that must be over."

"And what next would you have me do?" he asked.

"I have nothing to request," she said. "If you must tell it to all
the world, do so."

"Tell it; no. It will not be my business to be an informer."

"But you must tell it. There is Mrs. Orme."

"Yes: to Edith!"

"And I must leave the house. Oh, where shall I go when he knows it?
And where will he go?" Wretched miserable woman, but yet so worthy
of pity! What a terrible retribution for that night's work was now
coming on her!

He again walked to the window to think how he might answer these
questions. Must he tell his daughter? Must he banish this criminal
at once from his house? Every one now had been told of his intended
marriage; every one had been told through Lord Alston, Mr. Furnival,
and such as they. That at any rate must now be untold. And would it
be possible that she should remain there, living with them at The
Cleeve, while all this was being done? In truth he did not know how
to speak. He had not hardness of heart to pronounce her doom.

"Of course I shall leave the house," she said, with something almost
of pride in her voice. "If there be no place open to me but a gaol I
will do that. Perhaps I had better go now and get my things removed
at once. Say a word of love for me to her;--a word of respectful
love." And she moved as though she were going to the door.

But he would not permit her to leave him thus. He could not let the
poor, crushed, broken creature wander forth in her agony to b