t her arms imploringly to the lovely, imperious young

r me," she

off the clingin

ave no name and no right in the world; but it is no sin of mine. You-you are the guilty one! The tou

when her long-hidden and shameful secret became revealed to her child, her exquisite face had on it no remorseful shame. The rather it was touched with the despairing resignation of some pu

elieve me so vile and wick

your confession," Irene ans

to me, Irene," said the beautiful woman in a tone of sad patience. "I

raced head in seclusion, and trying to win the pardon and mercy of offended Heaven, you flaunt your beautiful f

fell one after another in a rapid stream down her cheeks upon

ll you judge and condemn me without hearing? Are you the sweet, lov

believed you to be my pure, true-hearted sister who bore your mother's and sister's tyranny like an angel because you were too gentle to resent it. I understand it all now. You were afraid of them. Conscience made a

urnfully. "But, oh, Irene, my poor child, I bore it all f

love, Elaine had vexed her impetuous spirit by her shrinking cowardice. But her father-the loving old man who has ever taken her part bravely against them all-it rushed over her with a chill l

I thought mine belongs to me! I must lose you, too, whom I loved with all my soul-lose you through the sin of her who brought me into a

figure stood apart from her in desperate grief, seeking no friendly arm to lean on in its terrible isolation; the beautiful young face was cold and rigid with despair; the blu

m touch fell o

o more of these wild reproaches to your mother