If you will go to bed, I will too." "You cannot thus put me off," said Mrs.Weston.

"Alice, I charge you, as in the presence of God, to tell me truly: do you love Walter Lee ?" "It would be strange if I did not," said Alice, in a low voice.

"Have we not always been as brother and sister ?" "Not in that sense, Alice; do not thus evade me.

Do you love him with an affection which should belong to your cousin, to whom you are solemnly engaged, who has been the companion of your childhood, and who is the son of the best friend that God ever raised up to a widow and a fatherless child ?" Alice turned her head away, and after a moment answered, "Yes, I do, mother, and I cannot help it." But on turning to look at her mother, she was shocked at the expression of agony displayed on her countenance.

Her hand was pressed tightly over her heart, her lips quivered, and her whole person trembled.