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。“