in
her view, fated passion, does not without a pang tear herself from
old associations to enter upon new, especially where they are of
an inferior character. She may mourn her weakness even at the moment
she most yields to it. One dominant thought may fill her soul--one
master sentiment influence all her actions, and govern the pulsations
of her heart, but that does not exclude the workings of other and
nobler emotions of the mind. Even when she feels herself most
tyrannized over by the passion, the infatuation, the destiny against
which she finds it vain to struggle, sorrow for her altered position
will intrude itself, and then is her heart strengthened and her
mind consoled only by the reflection that the sacrifice was
indispensable to the attainment of that, without which, in the
strong excitement of her imagination, she deems life valueless.
Charity should induce us to believe that it is, what I have already
termed it, a disease, for on no other principle can we account for
that aberration of the passions, the intellect and the judgment
which can lead such a woman to forget that mind chiefly gives value
to love, and to sacrifice all that is esteemed most honorable in
the sex by man, to the fascination of mere animal beauty. Ah!
Ronayne, this must have been the case in the present instance. You
see, I probe you deeply--but enough!"

"Dear Mrs. Headley," returned the Virginian, pressing her hands
warmly in his own, "I am satisfied that, humiliating as it is to
admit the correctness of your impression, there is but too much
reason to think that it is even as you say. When I recur to the
past of yesterday and to-day, I cannot doubt it; and yet I confess
there is much buried in obscurity which I would fain have explained.
Were it made clear, manifest as the handwriting on the wall,
that Maria had abandoned me for Wau-nan-gee, I should be at ease.
It is the uncertainty only that now racks my mind. Could I _know_,
not merely _believe_ her false, a weight would be taken from my
heart. Oh! Mrs. Headley, why did you not suffer Wau-nan-gee to
enter--why drive from me the only means of explanation at which I
can ever arrive--and, yet, what could have been his object in thus
venturing here after having despoiled my home of its treasure? If
guilty, would he have dared to approach me? and that he might not
do so with evil intent, is evident from the fact of his having
knocked for admission. Oh! Mrs. Headley, I know not what to t