may find
it."

"You can say that you lost it."

"But your brother is so suspicious."

"You ought to have had your wits about you," said Elsie, fretfully.

"It is easy for you to talk!" exclaimed Elizabeth. "If you had been in
my place, listening to those threats----"

"Stop, stop!" Elsie almost shrieked, hiding her face in her hands. "I am
going into spasms--I shall choke!"

"But a crisis is near!" exclaimed Elizabeth. "You don't know all that a
bad, desperate creature is capable of, to accomplish his ends."

"I can't do anything," moaned Elsie. "What am I in all this? You
promised to leave me in peace."

"So I will, Elsie--I will. God knows I am ready to bear my burthen
alone; but sometimes I must speak."

"It does no good," said Elsie, beginning to cry. "I'd rather be dead
than live in this way!"

"Be a woman, with some feeling for a sister woman!" cried Elizabeth,
aroused into severity.

"It's all very well for you to talk, you are a great strong thing; I
don't mean that you are big, but your nerves are like iron and I am so
weak. Grantley says he believes the least thing would kill me; he knows
how frail my health is."

Passionate indignation lighted up Elizabeth's face for an instant, but
it softened into pity, like that with which she might have regarded a
pet animal whimpering under a hurt.

"Be good to me," said Elsie. "I can't help you. I don't mean to be
selfish, but I must have my sunshine. I don't dare even to talk about it
at all. If Grant ever should find out anything, even my talking to you
about it would enrage him so!"

"And what would become of me?" demanded Elizabeth. "Do you never think
of what would happen to me?"

"Oh, but he won't find out anything," urged Elsie, changing her tone at
once. "Just let things rest. The wretch will be quiet for a time."

"No, no; I tell you money must be raised."

"More money?"

"I promised it; there was no other way. But heaven knows where I shall
get it."

"Well, tell Grant about some family or hospital----"

"Lies!" interrupted Elizabeth; "always lies! Sinking deeper into the pit
every day. I tell you this constant deceit makes me hate myself!"

"Now you are going off again! Oh, my head!"

"Hush, I say! You are safe, at any rate!"

"Whatever comes, I shall not be dragged into it?" pleaded Elsie.

"No, no; have I not promised?" returned Elizabeth, in her anguish and
her bitterness, hardly noticing the girl's selfish fears.

Elsie th