Mrs. Carroll rose silently and opened the door. Xenie followed her down a narrow passage to a door at the further end, and they entered a pretty and neat little room.
A low wood fire burned on the cleanly swept hearth, and on the white bed, with her dark hair trailing loosely over the pillows, lay a beautiful, white-faced girl, enough like Xenie to be her twin.
She started up with a cry of mingled joy and pain as the new-comer came toward her.
"My poor darling!" Mrs. St. John murmured, in a tone of infinite love and compassion, as she twined her arms around the trembling form.
Lora clung to her sister, sobbing and weeping convulsively. At length she whispered against her shoulder:
"Mamma has told you all, Xenie?"
"Yes, dear," was the gentle answer.
"And you—you believe that I was married?" questioned the invalid.
"Yes, darling," whispered her sister, tenderly. "How could I believe evil of you, my innocent, little Lora?"
"Thank God!" cried the invalid, gratefully. "Oh! Xenie, mamma has been so angry it nearly broke my heart."