in their tones, and to their language, which was so very peculiar, a
strange suspicion came to her mind.

Then she hurried away back to the Hall.

"I'll go with my wife," said Leon.

"Coward and villain!" cried his companion. "Miss Dalton has a dagger.
You're afraid of her. I'll go too, so that you may not annoy her."

Edith hurried away, and the others followed for a short distance, but
she soon left them behind. She reached the little door at the east end.
She passed through, and bolted it on the inner side. She hurried up to
her rooms, and on reaching them fell fainting to the floor.

* * * * *




CHAPTER XXIX.


THE WIFE OF LEON DUDLEIGH.

Sickness and delirium came mercifully to Edith; for if health had
continued, the sanity of the body would have been purchased at the
expense of that of the mind. Mrs. Dunbar nursed her most tenderly and
assiduously. A doctor attended her. For long weeks she lay in a
brain-fever, between life and death. In the delirium that disturbed her