ritoire, whence I saw you take it, I thought it best not to commit
it to a servant's care, and have kept it in my pocket until I thought
you might need it."

Although the room was growing dim, he detected the expression of dread
that crossed her countenance, and saw her bite her thin lip with
vexation.

"You have worn for one month the key of my desk, where lie all my
papers and records; and when I was so desperately ill, I presume you
looked into the drawers, merely to ascertain whether I had prepared my
will?"

The mockery of her tone stung him keenly, but he allowed no evidence
of the wound to escape him. Bending over her as she sat partially
erect, supported by cushions, he took her white face tenderly in his
hands, and said, very calmly and gently,--

"When you know me better, you will realize how groundless is your
apprehension that I have penetrated into the recesses of your
writing-desk. Knowing that it contained valuable papers, I guarded it
as jealously as you could have done; and, upon the honor of a
gentleman, I assure you I am as ignorant of its contents as if I had
never entered the house. When I consider it essential to my peace of
mind to become acquainted with your antecedents, I shall come to you
and ask what I desire to learn. While you were so ill, I told Robert
that your friends should be notified of your imminent danger, and
inquired of him whether you had made a will, as I deemed it my duty to
inform your agent of your alarming condition. He either could not or
would not give me any satisfactory reply, and there the matter ended.
When I am gone, do not reproach yourself for having so unjustly
impugned my motives, for I shall not allow myself to believe that you
really entertain so contemptible an opinion of me; and shall ascribe
your hasty accusation to mere momentary chagrin and pique."

"Ah, sir! you ought not to wonder that I am so suspicious; you--but
how can you understand the grounds of my distrust, unless--"

"Hush! We will not discuss a matter which can only excite and annoy
you. Mrs. Gerome, under all circumstances you may unhesitatingly trust
me, and I beg to assure you I shall never divulge anything confided to
me. You need a friend, and perhaps some day you may consider me worthy
to serve you in that capacity; meantime, as your physician, I shall
continue to watch over and control you. To-day you have cruelly
overtasked your exhausted system, and I can not permit you to remain