"Nothing, nothing, but help me to my bed, thank you, I shall be better when I have slept off this horrible fatigue and weakness. Oh, such a tramp and weary waiting as it was!--out in the cold and darkness on a lonely road," she gasped shudderingly, as she sank down upon her bed. "It seemed as if I should drop down and die before I could get back to the house. And my terror for him! that was the worst of all!"
"I don't think he deserves your love and care for him!" Mildred said, her indignation waxing hot against the worthless villain.
"Perhaps not," she sighed, "but he loved me once, and he was a noble fellow then. And I--ah, he told me I had helped to ruin him!"
"But it wasn't true?" Mildred said in a tone of indignant inquiry.
Miss Worth did not seem to hear. "I shall do now," she said presently, "and you need rest. Do go to your bed, Miss Mildred. Perhaps I shall sleep if left alone."
Perceiving that she could be of no further assistance, Mildred went not unwillingly, for she too was quite worn out with fatigue and excitement.
It was eight o'clock when she woke, but she was ready for the summons to breakfast, which was not served that morning until near nine.
Juliet did not make an appearance at the meal. She was indisposed, Reba reported, and would take a cup of tea in her own room.
"The best place for her," commented Mr. Dinsmore shortly.
"What do you mean by that?" queried his wife, who had heard nothing of the occurrences of the past night.
"Just what I say and I hope she will have the grace to stay there till her father comes for her, as I requested him to do by this morning's mail."
"Mr. Dinsmore, _will_ you explain yourself?" exclaimed his wife in a tone of exasperation.
"It will not require many words," he answered drily. "She would have eloped with another woman's husband last night if she had not been hindered."
"Another woman's husband!" echoed Reba in astonishment and dismay--"I did not know it was so bad as that!"
"Dreadful! impossible!" cried Mrs. Dinsmore, dropping her knife and fork and bursting into tears. "Don't tell me a niece of mine could do such a thing as that! Mr. Dinsmore, it's a cruel joke."
"No joke at all," he said, "but the simple, unvarnished truth; though of course she refused to believe that the man was married."