true a woman as either of you--look!" and she pointed to the golden band
encircling the third finger.

'Lina was satisfied, and needed no further explanations. To her, it was
plain as daylight. In an unguarded moment, Hugh had set his uncle's will
at naught, and married some poor girl, whose pretty face had pleased his
fancy. How glad 'Lina was to have this hold upon her brother, and how
eagerly she went in quest of him, keeping back old Chloe and Hannah
until she had witnessed his humiliation.

Somewhat impatient of the long delay, Hugh sat in the dingy kitchen,
when 'Lina appeared, and with an air of injured dignity, bade him follow
her.

"What's up now that Ad looks so solemn like?" was Hugh's mental comment
as he took his way to the room where, in a half-reclining position sat
Adah, her large, bright eyes fixed eagerly upon the door through which
he entered, and a bright flush upon her cheek called up by the
suspicions to which she had been subjected.

Perhaps they might be true. Nobody knew but Hugh, and she waited for him
so anxiously, starting when she heard a manly step and knew that he was
coming. For an instant she scanned his face curiously to assure herself
that it was he, then with an imploring cry as if for him to save her
from some dreaded evil, she stretched her little hands toward him and
sobbed: "Mr. Worthington, was it true? Was it as his letter said?" and
shedding back from her white face the wealth of flowing hair, Adah
waited for the answer, which did not come at once. In utter amazement
Hugh gazed upon the stranger, and then exclaimed: