said anxiously.

She stepped in without looking behind; he descended, withdrew the ladder,
and went away.

Alone in her chamber, Betty flung herself upon her face on the bed, and
burst into shaking sobs. Yet she would not admit to herself that her
lover's conduct was unreasonable; only that her rash act of the previous
week had been wrong. No one had heard her enter, and she was too worn
out, in body and mind, to think or care about medical aid. In an hour or
so she felt yet more unwell, positively ill; and nobody coming to her at
the usual bedtime, she looked towards the door. Marks of the lock having
been forced were visible, and this made her chary of summoning a servant.
She opened the door cautiously and sallied forth downstairs.

In the dining-parlour, as it was called, the now sick and sorry Betty was
startled to see at that late hour not her mother, but a man sitting,
calmly finishing his supper. There was no servant in the room. He
turned, and she recognized her husband.

'Where's my mamma?' she demanded without preface.

'Gone to your father's. Is that--' He stopped, aghast.

'Yes, sir. This spotted object is your wife! I've done it because I
don't want you to come near me!'

He was sixteen years her senior; old enough to be compassionate. 'My
poor child, you must get to bed directly! Don't be afraid of me--I'll
carry you upstairs, and send for a doctor instantly.'

'Ah, you don't know what I am!' she cried. 'I had a lover once; but now
he's gone! 'Twasn't I who deserted him. He has deserted me; because I
am ill he wouldn't kiss me, though I wanted him to!'

'Wouldn't he? Then he was a very poor slack-twisted sort of fellow.
Betty, _I've_ never kissed you since you stood beside me as my little
wife, twelve years and a half old! May I kiss you now?'

Though Betty by no means desired his kisses, she had enough of the spirit
of Cunigonde in Schiller's ballad to test his daring. 'If you have
courage to venture, yes sir!' said she. 'But you may die for it, mind!'

He came up to her and imprinted a deliberate kiss full upon her mouth,
saying, 'May many others follow!'

She shook her head, and hastily withdrew, though secretly pleased at his
hardihood. The excitement had supported her for the few minutes she had
passed in his presence, and she could hardly drag herself back to her
room. Her husband summoned the servants, and, sending them to her
assistance, went off himself for a doc