it, and read it."

Roland hesitated an instant. Was his sister delirious?

"Poor Amelie!" he murmured.

"Do not pity me," she said, "I go to join him."

"Whom?" asked Roland.

"Him whom I loved, and whom you killed."

Roland uttered a cry. This was delirium; or else--what did his sister
mean?

"Amelie," said he, "I came to question you--"

"About Lord Tanlay; yes, I know," replied the young girl.

"You knew! How could you know?"

"Did I not tell you I saw you coming, and knew why you came?"

"Then answer me."

"Do not turn me from God and from him, Roland. I have written it all;
read my letter."

Roland slipped his hand beneath the pillow, convinced that his sister
was delirious.

To his great astonishment he felt a paper, which he drew out. It was
a sealed letter; on it were written these words: "For Roland, who will
come to-morrow."

He went over to the night-light in order to read the letter, which was
dated the night before at eleven o'clock in the evening.

My brother, we have each a terrible thing to forgive the
other.

Roland looked at his sister; she was still motionless. He continued to
read:

I loved Charles de Sainte-Hermine; I did more than
love him, he was my lover.

"Oh!" muttered the young man between his teeth, "he shall die."

"He is dead," said Amelie.

The young man gave a cry of astonishment. He had uttered the words to
which Amelie had replied too low even to hear them himself. His eyes
went back to the letter.

There was no legal marriage possible between the sister
of Roland de Montrevel and the leader of the Companions
of Jehu: that was the terrible secret which I bore--and
it crushed me.

One person alone had to know it, and I told him; that
person was Sir John Tanlay.

May God forever bless that noble-hearted man, who
promised to break off an impossible marriage, and who
kept his word. Let his life be sacred to you, Roland; he
has been my only friend in sorrow, and his tears have
mingled with mine.

I loved Charles de Saint-Hermine; I was his mistress;
that is the terrible thing you must forgive.

But, in exchange, you caused his death; that is the
terrible thing I now forgive you.

Oh I come fast, Roland, for I cannot die till you are
here.

To die is to see him again; to die is to be with him and
never to leave him again. I am glad to die.

All was clearly and plainly written; there was no sign of delir