Malcolm sighed, and looked in surprise at this singular intruder.
“And you pretend to be in earnest in your desire to save her, yet could not accomplish your object?” exclaimed the girl in bitter, and scornful irony.
“I would have given my life for hers; I would give it now, could the gift save her!” groaned Malcolm, in deep bitterness of spirit.
“And yet you failed to obtain even a respite of her sentence!”
“Because,” said Malcolm, sorrowfully, “the Home Secretary was unable, on account of the illness of the judge, who tried the case, to consult him on the subject.”
“And so I suppose she must suffer on Wednesday?”
Malcolm choked, and faltered:
“Yes!”
“And you affect to love her, and yet say that? Oh! man! man! you love her not! But I love her, and I say she shall not die!” exclaimed the girl, with an impassioned earnestness that caused the young man to start and look up at her with amazement.
Clearly he supposed his strange visitor to be mad.