again fall into your hands, I will destroy it."

And holding it in the candle, it was soon reduced to ashes. The outwitted
girl sat dumb with astonishment, surprise and dismay, and, for several
seconds, was speechless. When utterance came, she inquired:

"How, in the name of reason, did you get that paper in your possession?"

"I will be frank: I watched you putting it away, and the next day I went
and took it."

"And this is my reward for the signal service you demanded as the price of
that written promise?"

"My continued love will be your reward."

"_Your_ love! Think you, vile miscreant, I would have the base semblance of
affection from such a polluted thing as you? No, sir! Now that I see your
depravity, worlds would not tempt me to wed you, degraded as I am! How I
have remained blinded so long is a mystery I cannot solve, in the
overwhelming light of this hour. Thank God, I am even with you!--Yes, thank
Him from the bottom of my heart! You have deceived me, but in this instance
I am not behind you. Ellen Walton left this house as pure as she entered
it! Think you I had no object in all my restrictions of time, of secrecy
and darkness? I had. One hour in the society of Miss Walton, convinced me
of her unsullied purity, and another of your baseness. I resolved to save
her at all hazards; and I did. My only regret _now_ is, that I made myself
the victim instead of her!"

"H--ll and furies!"