, and true. My poor heart's broken. What shall I do?"

Then she sobbed again; and I remember thinking that unless help soon
came, if poor Harry Lant died of his wounds, she would soon go to join
him in that land where there was to be no more suffering and pain.

Then I listened, for she was speaking again.

"If I could only have died for him, or been with, or--Oh, what have I
done, that I should be made to suffer so?"

I remember wondering whether she was suffering more then than I was;
for, in spite of my jealous despairing feeling, there was something of
sorrow mixed up with it for her.

For she had always seemed to like poor Harry's merry ways, when I never
could get a smile from her; and she'd go and sit with Mrs Bantem for
long enough when Harry was there, while if by chance I went, it seemed
like the signal for her to get up, and say her young lady wanted her,
when most likely Harry would walk back with her; and I went and told it
all to my pipe.

"If he'd only known how I'd loved him;" she sobbed again, "he'd have
said one kind word to me before he went, have kissed me, perhaps, once;
but no, not a look nor a sign! Oh! Isaac, Isaac! I shall never see
you more!"

What--what? What was it choking me? What was it that sent what blood I
had left gushing up in a dizzy cloud over my eyes, so that I could only
gasp out once the one word "Lizzy!" as I started to my feet, and stood
staring at her in a helpless, half-blind fashion; for it seemed as
though I had been mistaken, and that it was possible after all that she
had been crying for me, believing me to be dead; but the next moment I
was shrinking away from her, hiding my wounded face with my hand for
fear she should see it, for leaping up, hot and flush-cheeked, and with
those eyes of hers flashing at me, she was at my side with a bound.

"You cowardly, cruel bad fellow!" she half-shrieked; "how dare you stand
in that mean deceitful way, listening to my words! Oh, that I should be
such a weak fool, with a stupid, blabbing, chattering tongue, to keep on
kneeling and crying there, telling lies, every one of them, and--Get
away with you!"

I think it was a smile that was on my face then, as she gave me a fierce
thrust on the wounded arm, when I staggered towards her. I know the
pain was as if a red-hot hand had grasped me; but I smiled all the same,
and then, as I fell, I heard her cry out two words, in a wild, agonised
way, that went right to my heart