"
He thrust it into her hand and immediately, to her astonishment, left
her.
As she walked home through the frosty air she opened Hammond's letter
and read its contents. It contained an earnest appeal for her love and
an assurance that all the happiness of the writer's future life
depended on her consenting to marry him. Would she be his wife when
her three years' term at St. Benet's came to an end?
No letter could be more manly, more simple. Its contents went straight
to the depths of a heart easily swayed and full of strong affection.
"Yes, I love him," whispered the girl; "I did not know it until I read
this letter, but I am sure of myself now. Yes, I love him better than
any one else in the world."
A joyous light filled Maggie's brown eyes; her heart was gay. She
rushed to Annabel's room to tell her news and to claim the sympathy
which had never hitherto been denied her and which was essential to
the completion of her happiness.
When Maggie entered her friend's room she saw, to her surprise, that
Annabel was lying on her bed with flushed cheeks. Two hours before she
had been, to all appearance, in brilliant health; now her face burned
with fever and her beautiful dark eyes were glazed with pain.
Maggie rushed up and kissed her.
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