“I will tell you. Because Rupert himself has opened my eyes. Oh, I love him still; yes, I love him still; but my heart is broken. I don’t care what happens to me. Friends of mine of the name of Acheson asked me to stay with them for a week. I had only fourteen shillings in the world, and I thought I would go. Mrs. Acheson was very kind—she was like a mother to me; but on the very day I went, on the day I saw you last, I met my brother. He had never gone away; he had broken his word to Leslie; he had got into fresh, awful trouble. He wanted more and more money; and, oh, Mr. Parker, last night he broke into the very house where I was staying, in order to steal some money which was in the drawing-room. What am I to do? Oh, if I might only die!”
The miserable girl fell on her knees, burying her face in a chair near by; her faint sobs sounded through the room.
Mr. Parker stood still for a moment, the color in his face was coming and going. What was he to do? He hated Annie Colchester, and yet from the bottom of his
soul he pitied her. Before he could decide anything, there came a knock at the door.
“Particularly engaged just now,” he called out.
“It’s Miss Gilroy, sir. She wants to see you as soon as possible.”
“Miss Gilroy! Bless my soul! what can she have come about?”
“Oh, do let her in. I know she will plead for me. She will ask you not to be too bitterly hard,” said poor Annie.
Mr. Parker opened the door.
“Come right in, Leslie,” he said. His manner had changed; there was a tremble in his deep voice.