Jessica started as she heard her say aloud
and with delight :

"He sees me! My own darling!"

So she watched, and so did the other
watch, until the vessel had glided slowly
out to sea. Then Laura turned and gave a
start of surprise that seemed like one of
terror, as she saw Jessica standing before
her. There was a silence.

"What have you come here for?" she
said, at last. " Was it to see that? And
she pointed. " Well, there he sails away!
All your watching will never bring him
back to you."

Her cheek was pale, her chest panting,
and her excitement seemed to grow as she
spoke.

"I did you no harm," answered Jessica,
slowly, and with a curious bitterness and
disdain, "and never meant to do so. You
seem to exult that you have striven to
separate, to bribe from me the only one
that I liked, and that liked me!"

The other did not answer for a moment.

"Well, there he sails, "said Miss Panton,
"bound to me for ever, to return in
three weeks to fulfil his engagement. It
seems sudden, does it not? but he has told
me fairly and nobly that he will strive hard
to love and worship me as I deserve. This
is the end of your hatred and your plots
against me!"

"Yes; you are entitled to some exertion
on his side," the other answered, her father's
colour rushing to her cheeks. "All this
place, those lands, and estates, and that
fine castle entitles you to that, of right. He
told me he would carry out his contract
honourably. But with all your lands and
castles, I tell you, you have purchased him
cheaply!"

Flashes of scarlet came into that pale
face, and seemed to flow over her throat.
Her lips trembled with nervous anger.
"You dare to speak to me in this way --you
and your scheming father, whose plots we
have detected and seen through! And
from whom he escaped. Thank Heaven!
his eyes were opened, and by me! I own
it. So you persuade yourself that he is
forced into this — has sold himself. I wish
I had ten times as much to give him."
She was growing more and more excited
every moment. Jessica lost all restraint.
"But did he tell you why he was forced
into this step—to give the one he loved up?
That it was a sacrifice to save his father
and family. You know it, and cannot deny
it. It is your money that will set the family
all straight."

The other was turning as pale as she had
been crimson before.

"And after that there is more. What if
he had offered to make a solemn oath—
which he would fulfil if the opportunity
came? But which," she added with scorn,
"at this instant I release him from. If
ever he was free again, and came to me
on his knees with that amende, I would
not accept it!"

"What is this — what oath? What do
you mean? How dare you! ' ' said the other,
faintly.

Jessica turned away with triumph. " I
have made her feel at last," she thought.
"Nothing," she resumed aloud. "You
have forced me to say more than I intended.
Go your way, and let us never meet, or see
each other more."

She received no answer save a faint cry,
and looking round saw Miss Panton sinking
on a bench, her hand to her side, her
handkerchief to her mouth. "Run, and
quickly! Help — to the house!" she
gasped faintly. The handkerchief fell from
her mouth as she spoke, and Jessica saw
with horror there was a streak of blood
upon it. " Quick," said the other more
faintly. " Cross! cross over. Oh, I shall
die!—die here! The boat! —-

Terror-stricken, and scarcely knowing
what she did, she turned and rushed
toward the river bank, as if to cross by the
old familiar bridge. This was but an
instinct; and she recollected with a pang that
there could be now no means of getting
across. What was she to do? Ah, the bridge
was gone! There was the castle, the merry
diners, the doctor himself among them,
appearing only a few hundred yards or so
away—in reality more than a mile off. In
a sort of agony of despair she tossed her
arms wildly to attract the attention of some
one at the windows, and then as wildly
started off like a deer along the banks of the
river. She was so bewildered and
horror-stricken, that she had no space to reflect,
or think of a plan. The shortest way
was the little path along the bank under
the trees. She seemed pursued by all the
furies of indecision and desperation; for
she could only think of that fatal stain on
the handkerchief, and that the unhappy
girl must die before aid could come — then
hurry on, angry with herself for losing
precious moments.

With an indefinable terror over her, and
ready to sink with agony and fatigue, she at
last reached the high road, where the broad
three-arch county bridge crossed the river,