held out her hand to me and said:--

"Is all well with you, Malcolm?" Her voice was full of tender concern, and
it pained me to the heart to hear her speak kindly to me, who was so
unworthy of her smallest thought.

"Yes, Lady--yes, Madge," I responded; but she knew from the tones of my
voice that all was not right with me.

"I fear, Malcolm, that you do not tell me the truth. You will come to me
soon?" she asked.

"I may not be able to go to you soon," I answered, "but I will do so at
the first opportunity."

The torture of her kindness was almost unbearable to me. One touch of her
hand, one tone of her rare voice, had made me loathe myself. The powers of
evil cannot stand for one moment in a fair conflict with the powers of
good. I felt that I, alone, was to blame for my treason to Madge; but
despite my effort at self-condemnation there was an under-consciousness
that Mary Stuart was to blame, and I hated her accordingly. Although
Madge's presence hurt me, it was not because I wished to conceal my
conduct from her. I knew that I could be happy again only after I had
confessed to her and had received forgiveness.

Madge, who was blind of sight, led Dorothy, who was piteously blind of
soul, and the two girls went to their apartments.

Curiosity is not foreign even to the royal female breast, and while Mary
Stuart was entering Haddon Hall, I saw the luminous head of the Virgin
Queen peeked out at a casement on the second floor watching her rival with
all the curiosity of a Dutch woman sitting by her window mirror.

I went to my room in Eagle Tower, fell upon my bed, and abandoned myself
to an anguish of soul which was almost luxurious. I shall not tease you
with the details of my mental and moral processes. I hung in the balance a
long time undetermined what course I should pursue. The difference between
the influence of Mary and the effect wrought by Madge was the difference
between the intoxication and the exhilaration of wine. Following the
intoxication of Mary's presence ever came a torturing reaction, while the
exhilarating influence of Madge gave health and strength. I chose the
latter. I have always been glad I reached that determination without the
aid of any impulse outside of myself; for events soon happened which again
drove all faith in Mary from my heart forever. Those events would have
forced me to abandon my trust in her; but mind you, I took my good resolve
from inclination rather than necessity b