got back?
Tell me, or I shall perish of mere fright. For weeks now, ever since you
were so good as to help me with my wedding-clothes, I have seen that
something dreadful was weighing upon your mind, but this which you are
suffering now is awful; this I cannot bear. Cannot you speak dear? Words
will do you good."

"Words!"

Oh, the despair, the bitterness of that single exclamation! Miss Darling
drew back in dismay. As if released, Imogene rose to her feet and
surveyed the sweet and ingenuous countenance uplifted to her own, with a
look of faint recognition of the womanly sympathy it conveyed.

"Helen," she resumed, "you are happy. Don't stay here with me, but go
where there are cheerfulness and hope."

"But I cannot while you suffer so. I love you, Imogene. Would you drive
me away from your side when you are so unhappy? You don't care for me as
I do for you or you could not do it."

"Helen!" The deep tone made the sympathetic little bride-elect quiver.
"Helen, some griefs are best borne alone. Only a few hours now and I
shall know the worst. Leave me."

But the gentle little creature was not to be driven away. She only clung
the closer and pleaded the more earnestly:

"Tell me, tell me!"

The reiteration of this request was too much for the pallid woman before
her. Laying her two hands on the shoulders of this child, she drew back
and looked her earnestly in the face.

"Helen," she cried, "what do you know of earthly anguish? A petted
child, the favorite of happy fortune, you have been kept from evil as
from a blight. None of the annoyances of life have been allowed to enter
your path, much less its griefs and sins. Terror with you is but a name,
remorse an unknown sensation. Even your love has no depths in it such as
suffering gives. Yet, since you do love, and love well, perhaps you can
understand something of what a human soul can endure who sees its only
hope and only love tottering above a gulf too horrible for words to
describe--a gulf, too, which her own hand---- But no, I cannot tell you.
I overrated my strength. I----"

She sank back, but the next moment started again to her feet: a servant
had opened the door.

"What is it!" she exclaimed; "speak, tell me."

"Only a gentleman to see you, miss."

"Only a----" But she stopped in that vain repetition of the girl's
simple words, and looked at her as if she would force from her lips the
name she had not the courage to demand; but, failing to obta