Bad Hugh

Somewhat impatient of the long delay, Hugh sat in the dingy kitchen,

when 'Lina appeared, and with an air of injured dignity, bade him follow

her.

"What's up now that Ad looks so solemn like?" was Hugh's mental comment

as he took his way to the room where, in a half-reclining position sat

Adah, her large, bright eyes fixed eagerly upon the door through which

he entered, and a bright flush upon her cheek called up by the

suspicions to which she had been subjected.

Perhaps they might be true. Nobody knew but Hugh, and she waited for him

so anxiously, starting when she heard a manly step and knew that he was

coming. For an instant she scanned his face curiously to assure herself

that it was he, then with an imploring cry as if for him to save her

from some dreaded evil, she stretched her little hands toward him and

sobbed: "Mr. Worthington, was it true? Was it as his letter said?" and

shedding back from her white face the wealth of flowing hair, Adah

waited for the answer, which did not come at once. In utter amazement

Hugh gazed upon the stranger, and then exclaimed: "Adah, Adah Hastings, why are you here?"

In the tone of his voice surprise and pity were mingled with

disapprobation, the latter of which Adah detected at once, and as if it

had crushed out the last lingering hope, she covered her face with her

hands and sobbed piteously.

"Don't you turn against me, or I'll surely die, and I've come so far to

find you."

By this time Hugh was himself again. His rapid, quick-seeing mind had

come to a decision, and turning to his mother and sister, he said: "Leave us alone for a time."

Rather reluctantly Mrs. Worthington and her daughter left the room.

Deliberately turning the key in the lock, Hugh advanced to her side,

groaning as his eye fell upon the child, which had fallen asleep again.

"I hoped this might have been spared her," he thought, as, kneeling by

the couch, he said, kindly: "Adah, I am more pained to see you here than

I can express. Why did you come, and where is--"

The name was lost to 'Lina, and muttering to herself: "It does not sound

much like a man and wife," she rather unwillingly quitted her position,

and Hugh was really alone with Adah.

Never was Hugh in so awkward a position before, or so uncertain how to

act. The sight of that sobbing, trembling wretched creature, whose heart

he had helped to crush, had perfectly unmanned him, making him almost as

much a woman as herself.

"Oh, what made you? Why didn't you save me?" she said, looking up to him

with an expression of reproach.