ple, strangled her pride. She caught Mr. Dunbar's eye, beckoned him
to approach.

When he stood before her, she put out her hand, seized one of his, and
drew him down until his black head almost touched hers. She placed her
lips close to his ear, and whispered:

"For God's sake spare the secrets of a death-bed. Be merciful to me
now; oh! I entreat you--do not drag my mother from her grave! Do not
question Doctor Grantlin."

She locked her icy hands around his, pressing it convulsively. Turning,
he laid his lips close to the silky fold of hair that had fallen
across her ear:

"If I dismiss this witness, will you tell me the truth? Will you give
me the name of the man whom I am hunting? Will you confess all to me?"

"I have no sins to confess. I have made my last statement. If you laid
my coffin at my feet, I should only say I am innocent; I would tell you
nothing more."

"Then his life is so precious, you are resolved to die, rather than
trust me?"

She dropped his hand, and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes.
When she opened them, Doctor Grantlin was speaking:

"I am on my way to Havana, with an invalid daughter, and stopped here
last night, at the request of Mr. Dunbar."

"Please state all that you know of the prisoner, and of the
circumstances which induced her to visit X----."

"I first saw the prisoner in August last, when she summoned me to see
her mother, who was suffering from an attack of fever. I discovered
that she was in a dangerous condition in consequence of an aneurism
located in the carotid artery, and when she had been relieved of
malarial fever, I told both mother and daughter that an operation was
necessary, to remove the aneurism. Soon after, I left the city for a
month, and on my return the daughter again called me in. I advised that
without delay the patient should be removed to the hospital, where a
surgeon--a specialist--could perform the operation. To this the young
lady objected, on the ground that she could not assist in nursing, if
her mother entered the hospital; and she would not consent to the
separation. She asked what amount would be required to secure at home
the services of the surgeon, a trained nurse, and the subsequent
treatment; and I told her I thought a hundred dollars would cover all
incidentals, and secure one of the most skilful surgeons in the city. I
continued from time to time to see the mother, and administered such
medicines as I deemed necessary to i