Part 23 (1/2)
”You won't give nize me now You are much more like what I was then”
Anna stopped in front of her
”You don't propose, do you,” she said quietly, ”that I should take this man for my husband?”
”You can drive him away,” Annabel cried ”Tell him that he is mad Go and live somewhere else”
”In his present mood,” Anna re and brave,” Annabel th Besides, it was under false pretences He told e”
”I aht be upset I a whether it would not be better to tell your husband everything You will never be happy with this hanging over you”
Annabel moistened her dry lips with a handkerchief steeped in eau de Cologne
”You don't know him, Anna,” she said with a little shudder, ”or you would not talk like that He is steeped in the conventions Every slight action is influenced by what he i in the least irregular is like poison to hiht tell the truth to sohtful A conviction that her sister's words were true had from the first possessed her
”Annabel,” she said slowly, ”if I fight this thing out myself, can I trust you that it will not be a vain sacrifice? After what you have said it is useless for us to play ords You do not love your husband, you have s which you feared Will you be a faithful and honest wife? Will you do your duty by hiet all your past follies? Unless, Annabel, you can----”
”Oh, I will pledge you my word,” Annabel cried passionately, ”my solemn word Believe me, Anna Oh, you must believe me I have been very foolish, but it is over”
”Re still, and fond of adive Sir John any cause for jealousy? You will have no secrets fros which are past?”
”Anna, I swear it!” her sister sobbed
”Then I will do what I can,” Anna promised ”I believe that you are quite safe He has had brain fever since, and, as you say, I am more like what you were then than you yourself are now I don't think for a nize you”
Annabel clutched her sister's hands The tears were strea down her face, her voice was thick with sobs
”Anna, you are the dearest, bravest sister in the world,” she cried
”Oh, I can't thank you You dear, dear girl I--listen”
They heard a asped
Anna sprang to her feet and -room door
”One moment, if you please!”
She stopped short and looked round Sir John stood upon the threshold
_Chapter XVI_