“I think as how you may venture to leave her, sir. You can ask the governor about it when you go down stairs, and then, if so be objections are made, it will be time enough to come and force her away.”
“Thank you; I think you are quite right,” said Malcolm, restoring the little creature to her mistress. Then stooping, he pressed his lips to the forehead of Eudora, promised to repeat his visit the next day at the usual hour, took his leave, and left the cell.
In the hall below he met the governor and preferred his request. And Mr. Anderson, really pleased with the opportunity of granting any indulgence to the unhappy young prisoner not inconsistent with the duties of his office, readily consented, and he himself went to the cell to assure Eudora that she might keep her little four-footed friend as long as she liked.
Malcolm Montrose left the prison wondering that he had not encountered Annella Wilder there, or on the road. He felt extremely anxious again to see and speak with that mad girl, who, he much feared, was rushing headlong into some frantic enterprise which, without helping Eudora, might ruin herself. He vainly looked out for her on his way back to town, and vainly expected her during the remainder of the morning.
The whole day passed without his seeing or hearing anything of the admiral’s grand-daughter.
The next morning, however, as he was sitting over an untasted breakfast, impatiently waiting for the hour that he might visit Eudora, the door was suddenly pushed open, and unannounced, Annella stood before him.
He positively started with dismay at her appearance.
She was dressed in black as on the previous days, and her face had always been pale and wasted from the effects of the long continued slow starvation of her childhood’s years. But now two crimson spots burned in the hollows of her cheeks, and her eyes glowed like fire in their sunken sockets. She seemed consuming with some hidden fever or restrained frenzy.
Malcolm took her hand, and made her sit down in the easy-chair, while he said:
“I did not see you at the prison yesterday. I hope that illness did not keep you away?”