Thecookhadacceptedthealternativewhichhermistress’smessagehadplacedbeforeher，ifsheinsistedonhavingherowntimeatherownsoledisposalfortherestofthatday。ExactlyasLadyLundiehaddesired，sheintimatedherresolutiontocarryherpointbyplacingheraccount-bookonthedeskinthelibrary。
ItwasonlywhenthishadbeendonethatBlanchereceivedanyanswertoherentreatiesforhelp。SlowlyanddeliberatelyHesterDethridgewalkeduptothespotwheretheyounggirlkneltwithAnne’sheadonherbosom，andlookedatthetwowithoutatraceofhumanemotioninhersternandstonyface。
“Don’tyouseewhat’shappened？“criedBlanche。“Areyoualiveordead？Oh，Hester，Ican’tbringherto!Lookather!lookather!“
HesterDethridgelookedather，andshookherhead。Lookedagain，thoughtforawhileandwroteonherslate。HeldouttheslateoverAnne’sbody，andshowedwhatshehadwritten：
“Whohasdoneit？“
“Youstupidcreature!“saidBlanche。“Nobodyhasdoneit。“
TheeyesofHesterDethridgesteadilyreadthewornwhiteface，tellingitsowntaleofsorrowmutelyonBlanche’sbreast。ThemindofHesterDethridgesteadilylookedbackatherownknowledgeofherownmiserablemarriedlife。Sheagainreturnedtowritingonherslate——againshowedthewrittenwordstoBlanche。
“Broughttoitbyaman。Letherbe——andGodwilltakeher。“
“Youhorridunfeelingwoman!howdareyouwritesuchanabominablething!“Withthisnaturaloutburstofindignation，BlanchelookedbackatAnne；and，dauntedbythedeath-likepersistencyoftheswoon，appealedagaintothemercyoftheimmovablewomanwhowaslookingdownather。“Oh，Hester!forHeaven’ssakehelpme!“
Thecookdroppedherslateatherside。andbentherheadgravelyinsignthatshesubmitted。ShemotionedtoBlanchetoloosenAnne’sdress，andthen——kneelingononeknee——tookAnnetosupportherwhileitwasbeingdone。
TheinstantHesterDethridgetouchedher，theswooningwomangavesignsoflife。
Afaintshudderranthroughherfromheadtofoot——hereyelidstrembled——halfopenedforamoment——andclosedagain。Astheyclosed，alowsighflutteredfeeblyfromherlips。
HesterDethridgeputherbackinBlanche’sarms——consideredalittlewithherself——returnedtowritingonherslate——andheldoutthewrittenwordsoncemore：
“ShiveredwhenItouchedher。ThatmeansIhavebeenwalkingoverhergrave。“
Blancheturnedfromthesightoftheslate，andfromthesightofthewoman，inhorror。“Youfrightenme!“shesaid。“Youwillfrighten_her_ifsheseesyou。Idon’tmeantooffendyou；
but——leaveus，pleaseleaveus。“
HesterDethridgeacceptedherdismissal，assheacceptedeverythingelse。Shebowedherheadinsignthatsheunderstood——lookedforthelasttimeatAnne——droppedastiffcourtesytoheryoungmistress——andlefttheroom。
Anhourlaterthebutlerhadpaidher，andshehadleftthehouse。
Blanchebreathedmorefreelywhenshefoundherselfalone。ShecouldfeelthereliefnowofseeingAnnerevive。
“Canyouhearme，darling？“shewhispered。“Canyouletmeleaveyouforamoment？“
Anne’seyesslowlyopenedandlookedroundher——inthattormentandterrorofrevivinglifewhichmarkstheawfulprotestofhumanityagainstitsrecalltoexistencewhenmortalmercyhasdaredtowakeitinthearmsofDeath。
BlancherestedAnne’sheadagainstthenearestchair，andrantothetableuponwhichshehadplacedthewineonenteringtheroom。
AfterswallowingthefirstfewdropsAnnebeguntofeeltheeffectofthestimulant。Blanchepersistedinmakingheremptytheglass，andrefrainedfromaskingoransweringquestionsuntilherrecoveryundertheinfluenceofthewinewascomplete。
“Youhaveoverexertedyourselfthismorning，“shesaid，assoonasitseemedsafetospeak。“Nobodyhasseenyou，darling——nothinghashappened。Doyoufeellikeyourselfagain？“
Annemadeanattempttoriseandleavethelibrary；Blancheplacedhergentlyinthechair，andwenton：
“Thereisnottheleastneedtostir。Wehaveanotherquarterofanhourtoourselvesbeforeanybodyisatalllikelytodisturbus。Ihavesomethingtosay，Anne——alittleproposaltomake。
Willyoulistentome？“
AnnetookBlanche’shand，andpresseditgratefullytoherlips。
Shemadenootherreply。Blancheproceeded：
“Iwon’taskanyquestions，mydear——Iwon’tattempttokeepyouhereagainstyourwill——Iwon’tevenremindyouofmyletteryesterday。ButIcan’tletyougo，Anne，withouthavingmymindmadeeasyaboutyouinsomeway。Youwillrelieveallmyanxiety，ifyouwilldoonething——oneeasythingformysake。“
“Whatisit，Blanche？“
Sheputthatquestionwithhermindfarawayfromthesubjectbeforeher。Blanchewastooeagerinpursuitofherobjecttonoticetheabsenttone，thepurelymechanicalmanner，inwhichAnnehadspokentoher。
“Iwantyoutoconsultmyuncle，“sheanswered。“SirPatrickisinterestedinyou；SirPatrickproposedtomethisverydaytogoandseeyouattheinn。Heisthewisest，thekindest，thedearestoldmanliving——andyoucantrusthimasyoucouldtrustnobodyelse。Willyoutakemyuncleintoyourconfidence，andbeguidedbyhisadvice？“
Withhermindstillfarawayfromthesubject，Annelookedoutabsentlyatthelawn，andmadenoanswer。
“Come!“saidBlanche。“Onewordisn’tmuchtosay。IsitYesorNo？“
Stilllookingoutonthelawn——stillthinkingofsomethingelse——Anneyielded，andsaid“Yes。“
Blanchewasenchanted。“HowwellImusthavemanagedit!“shethought。“Thisiswhatmyunclemeans，whenmyuncletalksof’puttingitstrongly。’“
ShebentdownoverAnne，andgaylypattedherontheshoulder。
“That’sthewisest’Yes，’darling，youeversaidinyourlife。
Waithere——andI’llgointoluncheon，ortheywillbesendingtoknowwhathasbecomeofme。SirPatrickhaskeptmyplaceforme，nexttohimself。IshallcontrivetotellhimwhatIwant；and_he_willcontriveoh，theblessingofhavingtodowithacleverman；thesearesofewofthem!——hewillcontrivetoleavethetablebeforetherest，withoutexcitinganybody’ssuspicions。Goawaywithhimatoncetothesummer-housewehavebeenatthesummer-houseallthemorning；nobodywillgobacktoitnow，andIwillfollowyouassoonasIhavesatisfiedLadyLundiebyeatingsomelunch。Nobodywillbeanythewiserbutourthreeselves。InfiveminutesorlessyoumayexpectSirPatrick。
Letmego!Wehaven’tamomenttolose!“
Anneheldherback。Anne’sattentionwasconcentratedonhernow。
“Whatisit？“sheasked。
“AreyougoingonhappilywithArnold，Blanche？“
“Arnoldisnicerthanever，mydear。“
“Isthedayfixedforyourmarriage？“
“Thedaywillbeageshence。Nottillwearebackintown，attheendoftheautumn。Letmego，Anne!“
“Givemeakiss，Blanche。“
Blanchekissedher，andtriedtoreleaseherhand。Annehelditasifshewasdrowning，asifherlifedependedonnotlettingitgo。
“Willyoualwaysloveme，Blanche，asyoulovemenow？“
“Howcanyouaskme!“
“_I_saidYesjustnow。_You_sayYestoo。“