'Well, mamma,' she said, 'at any rate you know that I love him.

Oh, mamma, I do love him so dearly.

It is not now like Gertrude's love, or Linda's.

I know that I can never be his wife.
I did know before, that for many reasons I ought not to wish to be so; but now I know I never, never can be.' Mrs.Woodward was past the power of speaking, and so Katie went on.
'But I do not love him the less for that reason; I think I love him the more.

I never, never, could have loved anyone else, mamma; never, never; and that is one reason why I do not so much mind being ill now.' Mrs.Woodward bowed forward, and hid her face in the counterpane, but she still kept hold of her daughter's hand.
'And, mamma,' she continued, 'as I do love him so dearly, I feel that I should try to do something for him.