accustomed to yield blind obedience to her mother's wishes, she had been
easily worked upon to acquiesce in the scheme, especially as the
fabricated confession did not appear to hurt her husband, for whom
(though she did not dare to exhibit it) she maintained a deep and
unchanging affection. So utterly heart-broken was she by the prolonged
and painful struggle she had undergone, that she was now almost
indifferent to its issue.

For some time her health had given way under the severe shocks she had
endured; but all at once more dangerous symptoms began to manifest
themselves, and she became so greatly indisposed that she could not
leave her room. Extremely distressing in its effects, the attack
resembled fever. Inextinguishable thirst tormented her; burning pains;
throbbing in the temples; and violent fluttering of the heart. No
alleviation of her sufferings could be obtained from the remedies
administered by Luke Hatton, who was in constant attendance upon her;
nor will this be wondered at, since we are in the secret of his dark
doings. On the contrary, the fever increased in intensity; and at the
end of four days of unremitting agony,--witnessed with cynical
indifference by the causer of the mischief,--it was evident that her
case was desperate.

From the first Lady Lake had been greatly alarmed, for with all her
faults she was an affectionate mother, though she had a strange way of
showing her affection; and she was unremitting in her attentions to the
sufferer, scarcely ever quitting her bedside. After a few days, however,
thus spent in nursing her daughter, she herself succumbed to a like
malady. The same devouring internal fire scorched her up, and raged
within her veins; the same unappeasable thirst tormented her; and unable
longer to fulfil her task, she confided it to Sarah Swarton, and