I could not find
her. At length I entered the library. I thought I could see
everything, and yet I was unseen. It appeared to me that while my
spirit was there my body was elsewhere. All my thinking powers were
supernaturally awake, but my body was asleep.

The room was in darkness, or nearly so, and I thought no one was there
until I heard a sigh, and then I saw Ruth. She moved in her chair as
if weary. A servant entered bearing a light, and then I saw her face.
It was wonderfully changed. It was not that she looked older, but that
she was so weary and wan. The old joyous light was gone from her eyes,
and she was very thin and fragile.

"Ah!" I thought, "the marriage has not been happy. Perhaps Wilfred has
not been kind to her; perhaps she has children, and they are sickly."

I looked at her hand, but could see no wedding ring. Then I heard a
noise outside and a whispering, and I saw that her face had a look of
terror upon it, as though she dreaded some great calamity.

The door opened, and in walked my mother and Wilfred.

I looked at both their faces and watched their expression. Hers looked
somewhat haggard and hard; while his was cunning and yet fascinating.

They sat down beside her, and mother asked her why she looked so
troubled and wan; but she was silent. Then Wilfred spoke to her.

"Ruth," he said, "the ten long years have come to an end. You know
your promise. Think how patiently I have waited, and how I must have
loved you to wait so long. Now, Ruth, let us wed at once, so that we
may fulfil our fathers' wishes."

Then I looked at her again, and from her eyes tears fell, and on her
face was such a look of misery that her enemy, had she one, could not
help pitying her.

"You are not Trewinion's heir," she murmured.

"How can you say that?" he replied. "Roger is dead, of that we are
sure. You know that his body was found a few days after his departure,
bruised and battered, 'tis true, but still my mother recognised him,
and so did Mr. Inch, and Mr. Polperrow. All believed it was Roger but
you, and so when I asked you to fulfil our fathers' wishes you would
not. Then the months and years passed on, and Roger came not; so I
pleaded with you again, and you said if Roger came not within ten years
of his departure you would believe him dead and wed me. Those ten
years are complete this very night, and I am come again to claim my
promise."

Then I saw Ruth bury her face in her hands