McVeigh, and the hour was gone.

As she passed the mirror she caught sight of her anxious face in it,
and halted, staring at the reflection critically.

"You are turning coward!" she said, between her closed teeth. "You
are afraid to be left to yourself an hour longer--afraid because of
this man's voice and the touch of his hand. Aren't you proud of
yourself--you! He is the beast whose name you hated for years--the man
for whom that poor runaway was taught the graces and accomplishments
of white women--in this house you heard Matthew Loring mention the
price of her and the portion to be forfeited to Kenneth McVeigh
because the girl was not to be found. Do you forget that? Do you think
I shall let you forget it? I shan't. You are to do the work you came
here to do. You are to have no other interest in the people of this
house."

She continued her nervous walk back and forth across the room. She put
aside the grey habit and donned a soft, pretty house-gown of the same
color. Her hands were trembling. She clasped and unclasped them with a
despairing gesture.

"It is not love," she whispered, as though in wild argument against
the fear of it. "Not love--some curse in the blood--that is what it
is. And to think that after three years--three years!--it all comes
back like this. Oh, you fool, you fool! Love," she continued, in more
clear, reasoning tones, speaking aloud slowly as though to impress it
on her mind, as a child will repeat a lesson to be learned; "love must
be based on respect--what respect can you have for this buyer of young
girls?--this ardent-eyed animal who has the good fortune, to be
classed as a gentleman. Love in a woman's heart should be her
religion; what religion could be centered on so vile a creature? To
look up to such a man, how low a woman would have to sink."

Evilena knocked at the door to show some little gift brought by her
brother from across the ocean, and Judithe turned to her feverishly,
glad of some companionship to drive away her dread and suspense until
the expected messenger arrived--the minutes were as long as hours,
now!

Colonel McVeigh had scarcely more than greeted Loring when Pluto
announced Captain Masterson and some other gentleman. Evilena saw them
coming from the window and reported there were two soldiers besides
Captain Masterson, and a man in blue clothes, who aroused her
curiosity mightily. They were out of range before Judithe reached the
window, but her heart a