Bad Hugh

"Oh, Hugh, I don't deserve this from you!" was 'Lina's faint response,

as she laid her head upon his bosom, whispering: "Take me away--from

them all--upstairs--on the bed I am so sick, and my head is bursting

open!"

Hugh was strong as a young giant, and lifting gently the yielding form,

he bore it from the room--the bridal room, which she would never enter

again, until he brought her back--and laid her softly down beneath the

windows, dropping tears upon her white, still face, and whispering: "Poor 'Lina!"

As Hugh passed out with his burden in his arms, the bewildered company

seemed to rally; but the convict was the first to act. Turning to Mrs.

Worthington he said: "Eliza, I am here to-night for my children's sake; and now that I have

done what I came to do, I shall leave you, only asking that you continue

to be a mother to the poor girl who is really the only sufferer. The

rest have cause for joy; you in particular," turning to the doctor, who

suddenly seemed to break the spell which had bound him, and springing to

his feet, exclaimed: "Yes, Lily shall he found, Lily shall be found; but I must see my boy

first. Anna, can't we go now, to-night?"

That was impossible, Alice said; and as hers was the only clear head in

the household, she set herself at once to plan for everybody. To the

convict and the doctor she paid no heed; but the tired Anna was

conducted at once to her own room, and made to take the rest she so much

needed. Densie too was cared for kindly, soothingly; for the poor old

woman was nearly crushed with all she had heard; and Alice, as she left

her upon the bed, heard her muttering deliriously to herself: "She wouldn't let her own mother eat with her. She compared me to a

white nigger; and can I receive her now? No, no; and she don't wish it.

Yet I pitied her when her heart snapped to pieces there in the middle of

the room; poor girl, poor girl!"

When Alice returned again to the parlor, the convict had gone. There had

been a short consultation between himself and the doctor, an engagement

to meet in Cincinnati to arrange their plan of search; and then he had

turned again to his once wife, still sitting in her corner, motionless,

white, and paralyzed with nervous terror.

"You need not fear me, Eliza," he said, kindly, "I shall probably never

trouble you again; and though you have no cause to believe my word, I

tell you solemnly that I will never rest until I have found our

daughter, and sent her back to you. Be kind to Densie Densmore; she was

more sinned against than sinning. Good-by, Eliza, good-by."