as she has lived without knowing you she will die without that
knowledge, or that if through any weakness of yours it came to her
then, it would embitter her last thoughts of earth and, dying, she
would curse you?"

The smile upon her half-open mouth still fluttered around it, and
her curved fingers still ran up and down the rails of the chair-
back as if they were the cords of some mute instrument, to which
she was trying to give voice. Her rings once or twice grated upon
them as if she had at times gripped them closely. But she rose
quickly when he paused, said "Yes," sharply, and put the chair back
against the wall.

"Then I will send you copies of this tomorrow, and take an
assignment of the property."

"I've got the check here for it now," she said, drawing it from her
pocket and laying it upon the desk. "There, I reckon that's
finished. Good-by!"

The Mayor took up his hat, Colonel Pendleton did the same; both men
preceded her to the door, and held it open with grave politeness
for her to pass.

"Where are you boys going?" she asked, glancing from the one to the
other.

"To see you to your carriage, Mrs. Howard," said the Mayor, in a
voice that had become somewhat deeper.