light upon them all, I say!  Oh! it was worse than murder.  It was a horrid, horrid crime, that has no name because there is none heinous enough for it.  Thurston!  I acted like a very brute!  God help me, I was both stunned and maddened, as it seems to me now.  For I could not speak.  I tore her little, fragile, clinging arms from off my neck, and thrust her from me.  And here I am.  Don’t ask me how I loved her!  I have no words to tell you!”

CHAPTER XV.

THE FAIRY BRIDE.

Since the morning of her ill-starred marriage, Sans Souci had waned like a waning moon; and the bridegroom saw, with dismay, his fairy bride slowly fading, passing, vanishing from his sight.  There was no very marked disorder, no visible or tangible symptoms to guide the physicians, who were in succession summoned to her relief.  Very obscure is the pathology of a wasting heart, very occult the scientific knowledge that can search out the secret sickness, which, the further it is sought, shrinks the deeper from sight.

Once, indeed, while she was sitting with her aunt and uncle, the latter suddenly and rudely mentioned Cloudy’s name, saying that “the fool” was sulking over at Dell-Delight; that he believed he would have blown his brains out if it had not been for Thurston, and for his own part, he almost wished that he had been permitted to do so, because he thought none but a fool would ever commit suicide, and the fewer fools there were in the world the better, etc., etc.  His monologue was suddenly arrested by Henrietta’s rushing forward to lift up Sans Souci, who had turned very pale, and dropped from her seat to the floor, where she lay silently quivering and gasping, like some poor wounded and dying bird.

They tacitly resolved, from this time forth, never to name Cloudy in her presence again.

And the commodore struck his heavy stick upon the floor, and emphatically thanked God that Nace Grimshaw had not been present to witness her agitation and its cause.

And Jacquelina waned and waned.  And the physicians, wearied out with her case, prescribed “Change of air and scene—­pleasant company—­cheerful amusement—­excitement,” etc.  A winter in Washington was suggested.  And the little invalid was consulted as to her wishes upon the subject.  “Yes,” Jacquelina said she would go—­anywhere, if only her aunty and Marian would go with her—­she wanted Marian.

Mrs. Waugh readily consented to accompany her favorite, and also to try to induce “Hebe,” as she called blooming Marian, to make one of their party.

And the very first day that the weather and the roads would admit of traveling, Mrs. Waugh rode over to Old Fields to see Marian, and talk with her about the contemplated journey.

The proposition took the young lady by surprise; there were several little lets and hindrances to her immediate acceptance of the invitation, which might, however, be disposed of; and finally, Marian begged a day to consider about it.  With this answer, Mrs. Waugh was forced to be content, and she took her leave, saying: