He thought of nothing now but the near gratification of a revengeful purpose for which he had waited twenty years.

Oh, how sweet it seemed to him! The dinner was to be in a week, and during the next few days he was like a man in a bad dream.

He neglected his business, and wandered restlessly about the house, and looked so fierce and haggard that Christine began to notice, to watch, and to fear.

She knew that Donald was in the city, and her heart told her that it was his presence only that could so alter her husband; and she poured it out in strong supplications for strength and wisdom to avert the calamity she felt approaching.
That night her nurse became sick and could not remain with her, and James, half reluctantly, took her place, for he feared Christine's influence now.

She would ask him to read the Bible, to pray with her; she might talk to him of death and heaven; she might name Donald, and extract some promise from him.