hands hard together, choked back the groan which
rose to her lips, and sat gazing into the fire, as if she too read
something terrible in the scarlet caverns which were breaking up and
forming in its midst.

"I'm so cold," shivered Elsie; "there isn't half enough coal in the
grate."

Cold! The chill had crept into Elizabeth's very soul which no power of
hers could warm, and close to her that weak creature crouched, moaning
out her petty complaints!

Even then, up to the last, while the glittering hands of the clock were
seen in the firelight, creeping swiftly over the dial, and its solemn
tick measured off the awful minute on which Elizabeth had agreed with
her own soul to go forth on her terrible errand, the wretched woman was
compelled to pause in that dim chamber, worse than dead herself, to
comfort and soothe the creature who lay like a wounded fawn on the
hearth.

"What time is it, Bessie?"

She raised herself and looked at the clock.

"Half-past eleven," answered Elizabeth, solemnly. "My hour has come!"

"I thought it was later," groaned Elsie. "Will it never be morning?"

"Soon enough," whispered Elizabeth, "soon enough."

"I wonder if Grant has gone to bed; I asked him if he was sleepy, and
he--"

"Well?"

"Oh, he only gave a queer sort of laugh, and said, 'Sensible people
always are sleepy when it comes bedtime.'"

Elizabeth had said truly her hour had come, but she could not go yet;
she must wait until all danger of discovery was over--stand there
breathless while her husband forgot her and her agony in peaceful sleep.
They were both silent for a time, then Elsie began to shiver again, like
some young bird lost from its nest in a storm.

"Oh, if it would only come morning!"

"Soon enough, soon enough," repeated Elizabeth, as before.

"Do talk to me; I shall die if you don't!"

"What can I say, child? I can only wait--wait."

"Wait! What do you mean? Oh, I know--I know!"

The girl broke off with a more violent shudder and buried her face in
her hands.

"What made you remind me?" she cried. "I shall go crazy now. Bessie!
Bessie!"

But this time, when the girl clung to her, Elizabeth removed her hands,
not impatiently, but with quiet firmness.

"You must control yourself," she said. "I have upon me all that I can
bear now. Be still, Elsie!"

"I will! I will!" she sobbed. "Oh, wouldn't it be better to be dead?"

"Better! Yes, a thousand times; but it is not easy to die."

Elsie ch