Claire loves
me. He has never told me so--never."
She could not add that he had never given her reason to think so,
for he had, and her whole frame quivered with joy as she heard her
suspicions confirmed by Dr. Griswold.
"He does love you, Edith Hastings. He has confessed as much to me,
and this is why he has gone from home. He would forget you, and it
is right. He must forget you; he must not love. It would be a
wicked, wicked thing; and Edith--are you listening--do you hear
all I say?"
"Yes," came faintly from Nina's lap, where Edith had laid her face
again.
"Then promise not to marry him, so long--so long--Oh, Nina, how
can I say it? Edith, swear you'll never marry Arthur. Swear,
Edith, swear."
His voice was raised to a shriek, and by the dim light of the
lamp, which fell upon his pallid features, both Edith and Nina saw
the wild delirium flashing from his eye. Nina was the first to
detect it, and wringing Edith's hand she whispered, imploringly,
"Swear, Miggie, once. Say THUNDER, or something like that as
softly as you can.
Pages:
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275