"You hurt me," she exclaimed; "this is cruel, unmanly."
"Wear it," he cried; "wear it, and when you look at it remember that you have dug a gulf between my heart and yours! Wear it, and remember how you have perjured yourself; how your whole conduct since my return has been a lie, and if you have any shame or power of repentance left, the gems will burn into your very soul when you look at them."
Elizabeth fell back in her chair cold and white. He rushed out of the room. She was not conscious of any thought; her brain was too dizzy; but sat there clasping her forehead between her hands, and seeming to feel the whole world reel into darkness before her gaze.
"Has he gone; where is he?"
It was Elsie's voice; she had stolen into the room to learn how the matter had ended.
"Can't you speak, Bessie; what did he say?"
Elizabeth dropped the hands from her face, and rose from her seat.
"No matter what he said; the end is coming. I told you it would; the end is coming!"
"Don't look so!" cried Elsie, "you frighten me."
"Frighten!" she repeated with intense bitterness. "You haven't soul enough in your bosom to be frightened."