That night when I
came home from your father's I realized it more than ever before; it
filled me so that I could not bear the thought of life. I happened to
have something by me, and I--almost took it. I should have slipped away
from between you two, I was so bent upon doing it,--only, the warning
saved me from such a sin. It will never be again," she added as she saw
his eyes dilate with questioning horror. "That temptation has gone. I
have accepted my lot, for it was permitted to come, or even that wicked
man could not have brought it. But now, think, think how I must long to
do some little thing, not to atone, that's impossible, but to make life
not quite so hard to you, and to her. Now, this has come for you. Take
it, I entreat you. Some day I may be able to help her in some way; I
think it will be so."
He looked into her eyes as she raised them to his.
"But you didn't mean to--do all this, if it is done," he said. "There's
no need of talking about atoning, as if you were guilty of anything."
"But, then, I ought to have refused; it was my place. It would have
saved everything."
"You wanted to," he said, "and you yielded to oblige Katie."
She looked relieved at his answer. It surprised him; he wondered that he
had remembered her hesitation.
"You will do this thing?" she persisted.
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