“I think a little more knowledge of the evil in the world will drive me mad,” said Marion, sharply. “Oh, is there no end to it? I am beginning to be doubtful.”
Mr. Ray looked at her fair face with one of his old, tender glances.
“It is wrong that you should have learned even so much as one lesson of the evil,” he said, softly. “You should have been kept free from it all, my peerless Marion.”
The beautiful girl’s face flushed scarlet to the roots of her hair, but Mr. Ray touched her hand gently, almost in a pleading manner.
“Let me think of you thus—it can do no harm,” he said, softly. “Let me say to myself, she is my peerless Marion, even though a barrier exists between us which prevents my saying anything more.”
Marion bowed her head and the tears sprang to her eyes.
“You are too good to think so well of me,” she said, simply. “Oh, I wish you could know how deeply I sympathize with you. How sorry I am to know how you have suffered.”
She let her hand rest in his as she looked at him.
“And you will watch, Marion, for my erring wife,” he said, sadly; “you will forget what she has done in your friendship for me, for I should never forgive myself if she should be in want or die uncared for.”