Cruel As The Grave

Sybil Berners shrank in dismay from the excited woman, who continued,

vehemently: "Do you wonder at this? I tell you, madam, it is possible for love to

die a sudden and violent death, for mine has done so within the last

three days."

"I am deeply grieved to hear you say so, for it proves how much you must

have suffered--how much more than even I had imagined. But try to take a

little comfort. I and my own dear husband will be your friends, will be

a sister and a brother to you," said Sybil earnestly, with all the

impulsive, unlimited generosity of her youth and her race, awakened by

her sympathy with the sorrows of this young stranger.

"Oh, madam, you--" began Rosa, but her voice broke down in sobs.

"Take comfort," continued Sybil, laying her little brown hand on that

fair golden head, "take comfort. Think, you have not lost all. You have

your child left."

"Ah, my child!" cried Rosa, in a tone like a shriek of anguish, "my

child, my wronged and ruined babe! The sight of him is a sword through

my bosom! my child that he robbed and made me an accomplice in

robbing--it is maddening to think of it."

"Then do not think of it," said Sybil, gently, and still caressing the

bowed head; "think of anything else--think of what I am going to say to

you. Listen. While you remain in this crowded and noisy hotel, you can

never recover calmness enough to act with any good effect. So I wish you

to come home with me and my dear husband to our quiet country house, and

be our cherished guest until you can communicate with your friends, or

come to some satisfactory decision concerning your future course."

While Sybil spoke these words, the young stranger raised her head and

looked up with gradually dilating eyes.

"Come, now; what say you? Will you be our dear and welcome guest this

autumn?" smiled Sybil.

"Oh, do you mean this? can you mean it?" exclaimed Rosa, in

something like an ecstasy of surprise and gratitude.

"In our secluded country house, with sympathizing friends around you,"

continued Sybil, still caressing Rosa's little golden-haired head, and

speaking all the more calmly because of Rosa's excitement, "you will

have repose and leisure to collect your thoughts and to write to your

friends in the old country, and to wait without hurry or anxiety to hear

from them."

"Oh, angels in Heaven, do you hear what this angel on earth is saying to

me! Oh, was ever such divine goodness seen under the sun before! Oh,

dear lady, you amaze, you confound me with your heavenly goodness!"

exclaimed the young stranger, in strong emotion.

Sybil took her hand, and still all the more gently for the increasing

agitation of Rosa, she continued: "We are daughters of the Divine Father, sisters in one suffering

humanity, and so we should care for each other. At present you are

suffering, and I have some power to comfort you. In the future our

positions may be reversed, and I may be the sufferer and you the

comforter. Who can tell?"