"Oh, my darling, you are safe! You have come back to me!" she cried, and fainted for the third time that morning.
"She has had some strange hallucination about her sister, but she will be better now," said the physician, and he was right, for when she recovered she was calmer, the light of reason shone in her dark eyes.
"I am better now. You may all go away but Precious. I want her to stay by me a little while," she murmured faintly.
They all withdrew but Precious, to whom she clung with eager hands.
When they were alone they looked eagerly into each other's eyes, and Ethel saw that Precious knew all. A deep and heavy sigh breathed over her lips, and she murmured:
"You have escaped your enemies, thank Heaven! Nothing else matters now, but tell me how it all happened."
And the trembling Precious, in low, agitated whispers, told her all that had transpired except Hetty's death, of which she did not yet know.
Ethel listened in silent joy. She rejoiced in the death of her enemies, and she realized that her guilty secret belonged to no one now but Precious. In those small, white hands rested her fate.
Her dark, anguished eyes searched the pale, lovely face with eager inquiry, and she faltered:
"You know all my sins against you now, Precious—all my envious hate and jealousy. Are you glad that revenge lies in your hands?"