how she dreaded the answer
that would come.

"You know--you must guess," pleaded poor Lina.

"No, who is he?"

"Mrs.--Mrs. Harrington, oh, don't send me away!"

There was no danger that Mabel Harrington would send the young girl
away. Her nerves were yet unstrung, her strength all gone. A look of
anguish, keen but tender, swept over her face. Her hand fell slowly on
the bowed head of poor Lina. She struggled to sit upright and speak
words of encouragement, but the brave true heart sunk back, repulsed in
its goodness by the enfeebled body, and she fell back in her chair,
white and still, like some proud flower torn up by the roots.

She was so still, that Lina ventured to look up. The deathly white of
that face terrified her, and with a cry she sprang to her feet, looking
wildly around for help.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE BROKEN CONFESSION.

Agnes Barker came coldly into the room, answering Lina's cry.

"Mrs. Harrington has only fainted," she said, closing the door which she
still held slightly ajar, as if that moment entering.

"There is aromatic vinegar on the console yonder--do bring it, while I
open the window."

Lina ran for the crystal flask pointed out, and began to sprinkle
Mabel's face, sobbing and moaning all the time. Agnes opened the sash
door, that led to a stone balcony full of flowers, and their breath came
floating into the room.

"Shall I run? shall I call help?" questioned Lina, letting Mrs.
Harrington's head fall back upon the crimson cushions of her chair,
"I--I am sure Ralph would bring her to."

"Be quiet," answered Agnes Barker, dragging the easy-chair towards the
window, where the fragrant wind blew clear and cold into that deathly
face.

"If you call any one, let it be Mr. Harrington."

"The General?"

"No, Mr. James Harrington."

"I will go," answered Lina, eagerly.

But the name of James Harrington, even upon those lips, had reached the
sleeping sense of Mabel. She made a faint struggle. Her lips quivered
with an ineffectual attempt to speak. This brought Lina back.

"Shall I call help, dear mamma? Shall I call help?"

"No!"

The monosyllable was uttered so faintly, that nothing but a loving ear,
like Lina's, would have heard it. The warm-hearted girl stooped and
kissed Mabel softly upon the forehead, thanking God silently in her
heart.

Mabel shrunk from that pure kiss, turned her head abruptly on the
cushion, and tears stole through her eyelashes, leaving them