low quick utterance as if overwhelmed, she said,

"I have known her for some time. I found her dying of despair! I was
able to befriend her, to win her back to life, to something like hope.
She told me everything, except the name. We have ceased to speak of the
past! I little knew, I could not have dreamed--I never suspected;" her
voice broke, and she burst into tears, irresistible tears which she
struggled vainly to repress.

"Why should you _not_ suspect me!" exclaimed De Burgh, harshly. "Did you
suppose me above or below other men?"

"Ah! poor Rachel! what a flood of unspeakable bitterness must have
overwhelmed her, to find _you_ here!"

De Burgh paced to and fro, bewildered, furious, not knowing how to
defend himself or what to say.

"I am the most unfortunate devil that ever breathed!" he exclaimed at
last, pausing beside the table and resting one hand on it. "Look here,
Katherine, how can a girl like you--for, in spite of your mature airs,
you are a mere girl--how can you judge the--the temptations and ways of
a world of which you know nothing?"

"Temptations!" she murmured; "did Rachel ask _you_ to take her to live
with you?"

"No, of course not," angrily, "she is rather a superior creature, I
admit; but I deny that I ever deceived or deserted her! She was
perfectly aware I never Intended to marry her, and I was awfully put out
when she disappeared. I did my best to find her. But the fact is, when
she did _not_ reappear, I not unnaturally supposed she had gone off with
some other man."

Katherine looked upon him suddenly with such tragic, horrified eyes that
De Burgh was startled; then she slightly raised her hands with an
expressive gesture, again covering her face.

"Yes, yes," De Burgh went on, impatiently, "I see you think me a brute
for suspecting her capable of such a thing, but how was I to know she
was different from others? It is too infernally provoking that such an
affair should came to your notice! You are quite unable to judge
fairly;" and he resumed his agitated walk. "I swear I am no worse than
my neighbors. Ask any woman of the world, ask Mrs. Needham--they will
tell you I am not an unpardonable sinner! I will do anything on earth
for Rachel that you think right. Just remember her position and mine, it
was not as if--It is impossible to explain to you, but there was no
reason, had she been a little sensible, why such an episode should have
spoiled her life! Lots of women--" he stopped,