"You will do this, will you not?" she persisted. "I can die knowing
I can trust you as I would myself."

I took her cold hand in mine and promised, though I felt how feeble
would be any power of mine to stop the tide of public opinion if
once it set in any definite direction.

"He had no enemies," she whispered; "but I would sooner believe he
had, than that he sought this fearful spot of his own accord."

And seemingly satisfied to have dropped this seed in my breast, she
tremblingly arose, and going for her writing-desk, brought it back
and laid it on the lounge by her side. "Go for Mrs. Gannon," she
said.

Mrs. Gannon was our neighbor in the next room, a widow who earned
her livelihood by nursing the sick; and I was only too glad to have
her with me at this time, for my poor Ada's face was growing more
and more deathly, and I began to fear she had but prophesied the
truth when she said this was her wedding-day.

I was detained only a few minutes, but when I came back with Mrs.
Gannon, I found my room-mate writing.

"Come!" said she, in a voice so calm, my companion started and
hastily looked at her face for confirmation of the fears I had
expressed; "I want you both to witness my signature."

With one last effort of strength she wrote her name, and then handed
the pen to Mrs. Gannon, who took it without a word.