"Jinny!" said he.

"James!"

"How could you leave me so, Jinny? How could you
have the heart to do it? I thought you were dead. I
mourned for your death--ay, and you have made me
mourn for you living. You have withered my life."

She made no answer, but lay back among her
cushions with her eyes still fixed upon him.

"Why do you not speak?"

"Because you are right, James. I HAVE treated
you cruelly--shamefully. But it is not as bad as you
think."

"You fled with De Horta."

"No, I did not. At the last moment my better
nature prevailed. He went alone. But I was ashamed
to come back after what I had written to you. I
could not face you. I took passage alone to England
under a new name, and here I have lived ever since.
It seemed to me that I was beginning life again. I
knew that you thought I was drowned. Who could have
dreamed that fate would throw us together again!
When the Professor asked me----"