mate, but he dared not betray his knowledge of her existence, and he
sat there waiting, yet dreading to hear the hated name.

"Did you room alone?" he asked at last, and now remembering the words,
"You do love him," Rosamond moved quickly from his side. "She does
know," he thought, and a silent moan of anguish died upon his lips.
But Rosamond did not know--the movement was actuated by mere maidenly
reserve, and sitting down directly opposite him, she told him of Miss
Porter, whom she said she liked so well.

"How much of an invalid is she?" asked Mr. Browning, when he could
trust his voice to speak.

"Her health is miserable," returned Rosamond. "She has the heart
disease, and her waiting-maid told me she was liable to die at any
time if unusually excited."

It might have been because Rosamond was there that Mr. Browning
thought the room was brighter than it had been before, and quite
calmly he listened while she told him more of her new friend.

"She seemed so interested in you, and in Riverside," said Rosamond,
"and even proposed coming home with me--"

Mr. Browning started suddenly, and as suddenly a coal snapped out upon
the carpet. This was an excuse for his movement, and Rosamond
continued, "She thought, though, you might not care to see her, being
a stranger, but she sent you _her love,_ and--. You are cold, ain't
you, Mr. Browning? You shiver like a leaf. Ben said you'd had the
ague."