"You do understand me. You have a sister--a twin-sister--whose name is Mabel. She lies at the point of death, and you have brought her to it."
He covered his face with his hands, and I judged intuitively that there sat before me a young man who, weak-minded and easily led for evil as he might be, was not devoid of the true instincts of affection.
"Did you know of her condition?" I asked.
"No," he replied, in a trembling voice. "Is it true? Is it true?"
"It is unhappily true, and it may be that it lies in your power to rescue from the grave the innocent young girl who has devoted her life and happiness to you."
"My God! my God!"
"I will not deceive you. Such happiness cannot come to pass if you are guilty."
"I am not guilty!" he cried, starting to his feet. "God knows I am not guilty!"
"Swear it," I exclaimed, sternly.
"By all my hopes of happiness," he exclaimed, falling upon his knees--"by my dear Mabel's life, by my dear mother's life--I swear that I am innocent!"