hunchback. It has been his plan, under promise of marriage, to decoy you
from this house; he would probably have left his child to Crisp's good
agency, with orders to join you. Herbert loves you, and would have gone
willingly in your company, but alone with Richard he would not have moved
one step. Once out of my reach in some distant city, he would have had
the reins in his own hand. It was by an unexpected, but I hope fortunate
chance, that I overheard a conversation to this effect between him and
the deformed servant. I could not ascertain the day set for this
adventure, but I surmised that it was at no remote date, and I have kept
alert. You have avoided me, Miss Reef, and I have been obliged to watch
your movements distantly. Not from suspicion of you, for I know you to be
pure and honorable, but because you are under my protection, and
because"--he hesitated--I wondered what was coming next. I had a
presentiment that he was about to make an avowal which I ought to shun,
but before I could evade him he turned suddenly toward me, his face white
with emotion, and continued--"I love you, Agnes, though it is no time now
to speak of my passion, and have watched over you as a father, a brother,
a _lover_ would watch."

This announcement affected me more than I care to confess, considering I
did not return his love, but it was the allusion to his sheltering care
that moved me.

"Yes, I have watched over you; orphan that you are, you need some
guardian care. I knew by your frequent journeys to the village, by your
cloistering in your own apartment, and more than all, by your speaking
countenance, that you were preparing for some great event in your life.

"Last night I could not sleep; I laid my head upon my pillow, but finding
it impossible to close my eyes I arose and dressed. Sitting by my window