But here she stopped, dreading to say a word that would shatter the hope she was building upon his sudden revulsion of feeling for Nellie.

She could not bring herself to repeat their interview--that would come later, when they were safe and out of danger; now not even the secret of his birth must come between them with its distraction, to mar their perfect communion.

She faltered that Dunn had fainted from weakness, and that she had dragged him out of danger.
"He will never interfere with us--I mean," she said softly, "with ME again.

I can promise you that as well as if he had sworn it." "Let him pass, now," said Low; "that will come later on," he added, unconsciously repeating her thought in a tone that made her heart sick.
"But tell me, Teresa, why did you go to Excelsior ?" She buried her head still deeper, as if to hide it.

He felt her broken heart beat against his own; he was conscious of a depth of feeling her rival had never awakened in him.