Not a sign of life appeared till they came in sight of the log-house and the light curl of smoke from its chimney.

Neither had seen the place before--to Lucia, indeed, it had possessed no interest till the events of the last month or two, and she looked out with the sort of shuddering curiosity which is naturally excited by the place where we know a great crime to have been hidden in the daily life of the inhabitants.

But Bella remembered many small incidents connected with this fatal property of hers--and if a wish could have brought those dark sullen waters to cover the whole farm and hide it out of sight and memory, they would have risen that moment.

Yet, after all, the unchangeable fact of _her_ suffering and sorrow was no reason for others suffering; she put aside for the present all the pangs of personal feeling, and prepared to go into the house with a face and manner fit for her mission.
When they reached it, all was so very still inside that they hesitated to knock; and while they paused, the woman who had undertaken the office of nurse, and who had seen the sleigh arrive, softly opened the door and admitted them.

She pointed to the bed to show them that her patient was asleep; and they sat down to wait for her waking.