ctantly. 'Giles,--let me say one word to him,' said she, trying to
follow him feebly, but I recalled her sternly and made her follow me. I
had no fear of her now. Leah, whom I dreaded, was locked safely in her
room, and this poor miserable woman was harmless enough.

She broke into hysterical sobs and moans when I got her into her own
room. I was afraid Gladys might hear her, and I insisted on her showing
more self-control. My sharp words had their effect after a time, but it
was impossible to induce her to undress or go to bed. She had flung
herself across the foot and lay crouched up in a heap, with all the
delicate embroidery of her French dressing-gown crushed under her. When
she was quieter I put pillows under her head and covered her up warmly,
and then sat down to watch her.

I was about to leave the room once to fetch something I wanted, when she
suddenly struggled into a sitting posture, and begged me, in a voice of
horror, not to leave her.

'Leah will murder me if you do!' she cried. 'She has frightened me
often,--she says such things,--oh, you do not know! I should never have
been so bad but for Leah!'

'I shall not be long; and Leah is locked in her room; Mr. Hamilton has
the key,' I returned quietly. But it was with difficulty that she would
let me go. I suppose even criminals feel the need of sympathy. Miss
Darrell hated me in her heart, had always hated me, but the sight of even
an unloved human face was better than solitude. No wonder with such
thoughts people go mad sometimes.

I was surprised to see Mr. Hamilton walking up and down the long passage,
as though he were keeping guard. He was going to let me pass him without
a word, but I stopped and asked what he was doing.

'I was waiting until you were safe in your own room,' was the reply.
'What has kept you so long?'

'I must go back again,' I returned quickly; 'she is not fit to be left
alone. I am not afraid of her now, Mr. Hamilton: she can do me no harm.
Please do not watch any longer.'

'You were ill: have you forgotten that? I ought not to allow you to make
yourself worse. Why,' with a sort of impatience visible in his manner,
'need you be troubled about our miserable affairs?'

'Let me go back for a little while,' I pleaded; for I knew if he ordered
me into my own room I should be obliged to obey him. 'It keeps her in
check, seeing me there: she is so exhausted that she must sleep soon; and
then I will lie down.' I suppose he thought