The Shadow of a Sin

n again as one who would fain res

g murdered, perhaps. I hope she will do what I advised-start for London. If my mother

y took her hand from his, and bro

is it? Cynthy, w

t of those raining tears, the sound of those deep-drawn sobs and passionate cries filled him wi

ched! Tell me what is wrong-

him. "Claude," she said, "I am so sorry I left home-i

mean that you are sorry you

. It is wicked to run away from home. That poor woman did it, and see what has come to her. Claude, I believe

e no comparison between the two cases. I a

ked, Claude. I understand all now. Be

h you against your will. If you insist upon it, I will do

rward that I acted rightly. I shall be miserable, Claud

, we shall be parted fo

gh to marry you and live with you always. I have blinded myself with romance and nonsense. I do no

ce wet with tears, and an ag

a great wrong-you have trifled with me. If you had said before t

you. I did not mean to pain you. It is just as though I had woke up sud

r. The sight of her beautiful, tearful face touched, yet angered him, he did not like to see it clouded

e me, Hyacinth?

ught I did not, but you said I did. I am quite sure of i

," he said; "and since you wish to go back, I suppose you

s heart at home than to run

rave-you are a coward. I thought you capable of great sacrifice for my sa

aude!" she cried. "Yo

trick that was ever played on any man. Still, your wishes shall

here for Oakton," he said. "Stay outside, Hy

ton at six o'clock-a quick train too-so that she

nto the house-unnoticed. I pray Heaven that I may do so! If I may but once get safely freed from th

the Oakton station, and then I must walk back to the park. I can only hope that I have n

n was ready for starting, and not before, he went to summon Hyacinth,

angry-too indignant; she was praying that she might reach hom

w people at the station. She gave up the ticket

ips. The next minute she was on the road t

e, Claude," she said, ho

ife before noon!" he cried. "Ho

ty. "You blinded me by talking of the romance. I forgot to thin

felt for her seemed to rise and overwhelm him-his

t we who were to have been all in all to each other, who were to have

elopement," she retur

t another word, she broke from him, and hastened away, w

id whose office it was to feed the bantams Lady Vaughan was so proud of, came out. She spoke to her, and the maid thought Miss Vaughan had come, as she had o

on a long journey." She was struck, too, by the sound of Miss Vaughan's voic

ou could get me a cup of tea from the kitchen?

with a cup of hot, strong tea. Hyacinth drank it eagerly; her lips were

have you been? Your cloa

eft it. No one had entered, nothing was disturbed. She locked the door and fell on her knees. Rarely has maiden prayed as Hyacinth Vaughan prayed then. How she tha

s she thought of that dreadful night passed in the confusion of railw

ped!" she cried. "With all

bell rang she went down-stairs with a prayer on her lips-she was so thankful, so grateful, for her e

id, "and have spent the night over cards and wine. It is bad, si

; all the servants in the house knew there was a disp

se you, uncle," said the you

olonel, who had no great wish to qua

h," he said, "but a whole

e. "I shall go back to London on Saturday; my engag

are to remain at Oakton. He could not endure to look at Hyacinth Vaughan's face again. But he did not know what te