person. He approached the young girl, who had
now risen from her knees, and spoke to her in words of comparative
kindness:--

"Well, Ellen, you have had an alarm, but I am glad to see you have
suffered no injury. How happened the fire?"

The young woman explained the cause of the conflagration, and narrated
in brief the assistance which had been received from the stranger.

"But I was so terrified, Guy," she added, "that I had not presence of
mind enough to thank him."

"And what should be the value of your spoken thanks, Ellen? The
stranger, if he have sense, must feel that he has them, and the
utterance of such things had better be let alone. But, how is the old
lady now? I see she loves me no better than formerly."

"She is sinking fast, Guy, and is now incapable of speech. Before you
came, she seemed desirous of saying something to me, but she tried in
vain to speak, and now I scarcely think her conscious."

"Believe it not, Ellen: she is conscious of all that is going on, though
her voice may fail her. Her eye is even now fixed upon me, and with the
old expression. She would tear me if she could."

"Oh, think not thus of the dying, Guy--of her who has never harmed, and
would never harm you, if she had the power. And yet, Heaven knows, and
we both know, she has had reason enough to hate, and, if she could, to
destroy you. But she has no such feeling now."

"You mistake, Ellen, or would keep the truth from me. You know she has
always hated me; and, indeed, as you say, she has had cause enough to
hate and destroy me. Had another done to me as I have done to her, I
should not have slept till my hand was in his heart."

"She forgives you all, Guy, I know she does, and God knows I forgive
you--I, who, above all others, have most reason to curse you for ever.
Think not that she can hate upon the brink of the grave. Her mind
wanders, and no wonder that the wrongs of earth press upon her memory,
her reason being gone. She knows not herself of the mood which her
features express. Look not upon her, Guy, I pray you, or let me turn
away my eyes."

"Your spirit, Ellen, is more gentle and shrinking than hers. Had you
felt like her, I verily believe that many a night, when I have been at
rest within your arms, you would have driven a knife into my heart."

"Horrible, Guy! how can you imagine such a thing? Base and worthless as
you have made me, I am too much in your power, I fear--I love you still
too much; and, tho