should come near her was an idea that never entered her romantic mind.
She was too old to be at school; had her mother been living, she would
have been removed from there. She would have had friends and admirers,
her love and affection would have found proper objects, and the great
calamity of her life would have been averted. Heaven help and guide any
foolish, romantic girl left without the guidance of mother or friend!

She thought nothing of the impropriety of meeting the young artist
unknown to any one. She remembered only the romance of it--a genius, a
handsome young genius was dying for love of her, for her sake; he was
going away, to leave home, friends and country, going to die in exile,
simply for love of her; to lay down all the brilliant hopes of his life,
to give up all his dreams, all his plans, because he found her so fair
he could no longer live in her presence. Before she made any further
remark she began to think whether any of her favorite heroines had ever
been in this delightful situation, and how it was best to behave with a
genius dying for her. She could not remember, but she knew there were
innumerable instances of queens having loved their subjects--to wit, the
stately Elizabeth and Essex. She, in the eyes of this poor artist and
his sister, was a queen--it would not hurt her to stoop from her high
estate. She turned her fair, troubled face to the astute woman by her
side.

"Even if I could do him any good by seeing him," she said, "how could it
be managed?"

Miss Lyster's stare of admiration was something wonderful to see. "Would
you be so noble, so generous? Oh, Miss Arleigh, you will save my life
and his! Would you really see him, and tell him he had better stay? How
good you are! Do you know, I could kneel here at your feet to thank you.