She stood petrified-- incapable of uttering a word.
"_I_ have been in a Refuge," pursued the sweet, sad voice of the other woman.

"_I_ have been in a Prison.

Do you still wish to be my friend?
Do you still insist on sitting close by me and taking my hand ?" She waited for a reply, and no reply came.

"You see you were wrong," she went on, gently, "when you called me cruel--and I was right when I told you I was kind." At that appeal Grace composed herself, and spoke.

"I don't wish to offend you--" she began, confusedly.
Mercy Merrick stopped her there.
"You don't offend me," she said, without the faintest note of displeasure in her tone.