"Yes, I have met with sorrow. I will make you my confidant, since your kindness entitles you to my confidence."
"Do not think it necessary to speak of your troubles if it will give you pain," said our hero.
"It will bring me relief to speak to some one who will sympathize with me."
Paul could not interpose further objection. Moreover, he was not without curiosity, and was desirous of learning in what way his new friend had suffered.
"Eight years since," she commenced, "in the city of San Francisco, I met a gentleman who seemed struck with my appearance. At all events, he paid me marked attention, and it was not long before he asked my hand in marriage. I must premise that my father was considered rich, and I myself had a fortune of fifty thousand dollars at my own disposal. It had been bequeathed me by a sister of my mother. I forgot too late that it was the knowledge of this fact that had attracted my suitor, and that he was quite indifferent to me. However, I suspected nothing at the time. My lover, for he persuaded me that he was such, was not lacking in devotion. Moreover, he had agreeable manners, and was well calculated by his smooth plausibility to deceive any one, certainly an inexperienced girl like myself.
"Well, to cut matters short, his suit was accepted. Not only did I favor him, but my father and mother were both well pleased with the match. We made a brief journey as far as Los Angeles, and on our return purchased a pleasant house on California street.
"Though my money was at my own disposal, I could not long resist the entreaties of my husband to give him the management of it. He professed to know how to invest it so as to double it in a year's time. On the strength of expected gains he lived in more expensive style than I thought prudent, and wasted more than I can guess at the gaming-table. At any rate, in less than two years the property was gone, and my father was obliged to come to our help.
"Now that I had nothing left, my husband began to treat me with cruel neglect. I feared even that he would raise his hand against me, and such was my misery that I hardly knew whether I was relieved or otherwise when one morning I found my husband missing, and a letter of farewell on my bureau, stating that I should never again see him."
"Have you never seen him since?" asked Paul, with interest.
"Never; but I have known for some time that he was in Chicago."