"
Mrs. Birtwell now spoke with an eager enthusiasm that sent the warm
color to her cheeks and made her eyes, so heavy and sorrowful a
little while before, bright and full of hope.
On rising to go, Mr. Elliott urged her to do all in her power to
save the wretched man who had fallen over the stumbling-block their
hands had laid in his way, promising on his part all possible
co-operation.
CHAPTER XXII.
AS Mrs. Birtwell left the house of Mr. Elliott a slender girl,
thinly clad, passed from the beautiful residence of Mrs. Sandford.
She had gone in only a little while before with hope in her pale
young face; now it had almost a frightened look. Her eyes were wet,
and her lips had the curve of one who grieves helplessly and in
silence. Her steps, as she moved down the street, were slow and
unsteady, like the steps of one who bore a heavy burden or of one
weakened by long illness. In her ears was ringing a sentence that
had struck upon them like the doom of hope. It was this--and it had
fallen from the lips of Mrs. Sandford, spoken with a cold severity
that was more assumed than real--
"If you will do as I suggest, I will see that you have a good home;
but if you will not, I can do nothing for you."
There was no reply on the part of the young girl, and no sign of
doubt or hesitation. All the light--it had been fading slowly as the
brief conference between her and Mrs.
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