He suffered her to close his hand over the locket; and she took the pendant and laid it on the pillow.
"I know now why she put her hand to her bosom once or twice; this was lying there. Poor girl! Yes, I can be sorry for her, for I knew what she felt. But it's too late now, Yorke, I suppose. You've got to marry Lady Eleanor, eh? Well," as he remained silent, "let's hope that poor young thing has forgotten you!"
Yorke got up and strode up and down, biting his lip and shutting and opening his hands.
"Better go now, Yorke," she said with a sigh. "I know you hate the sight of me; that's only natural——."
"No, no, Fin!" he said with a frown. "I'm not so bad as that; but I feel confused and half mad. God forgive us all, we all seem to have conspired to work her harm! Even Dolph—and I who loved her! Yes, I'd better go, Fin; but I will come back——."
"No, you won't," she said quietly, "at least, not till after your marriage. But, Yorke——."
"Well?" he asked.
"If—if you should ever find her—Miss Lisle," she said, in a low, hesitating voice, "I wish—I wish you'd tell her I'd made a clean breast of it; and—and ask her to come and see me. She'd come; she's one of that sort of women that are always ready to forgive; and she'll forgive me right enough when she sees me lying here helpless as a log, and remembers how hard I fought beside her up that beastly cliff that day! Go now, Yorke, and—well, I don't know that God would bless you any the sooner for my asking Him. But you have been very easy with me, Yorke, after all I've done to make you wretched."
Her voice died away inaudibly at the last words, and she took the hand he gave her and laid it on her lips.
Yorke went out with the locket in his hand, and a burning fire in his heart and brain.