‘But it is not true. It is an invention, it is a mistake! _I_ do anything against her dear life!--even in suffering, even in misery, was she not everything to me?’ ‘That is all very well to say. You did it in love, not in hatred, I acknowledge that. Beresford, no one here will betray you. Why not be bold and own to what you did? I could not be deceived; it was from your hand and no other your wife got her death. How could I, her doctor, be deceived?’ ‘Dr. Maxwell,’ said a low voice from the door; and they all started with a violent shock, as if it had been Annie Beresford herself come back from the grave. Mrs. Meredith rose hastily and went towards this strange apparition. It was Cara, with cheeks perfectly colourless, with blue eyes dilated, standing as she had entered, transfixed by those terrible words. But the girl took no notice of her friend’s rush towards her. She put out her hand to put Mrs. Meredith away, and kept her eyes fixed on the doctor, as if there was no one else in the room. ‘Dr. Maxwell,’ said Cara, her young bosom heaving, ‘I have come just in time. You are making a great, great mistake, for that is not true.’ ‘Cara, child, go away, go away; I never meant this for you.’ ‘No one knows but me,’ she said; ‘I was in the room all the time. I have never forgotten one thing, nor a word she said. She wanted him to do it, but he would not. He rushed away. I did not understand then what it meant.’ The girl stood trembling, without any support, so slight, so young, so fragile, with her pale face. Her father had scarcely thought of Cara before since she was the plaything of his younger life. All at once his eyes seemed to be opened, and his heart. He went to her by an irresistible impulse, and put his arm round her. Love seemed to come to life in him with very terror of what he was about to hear. ‘It was not you!’ he said, with a low cry of anguish; ‘it was not you!’ ‘She would not let me,’ said Cara. ‘I asked to do it, but she would not let me. She looked up--to God,’ cried the girl, the tears rushing to her eyes, ‘and took it. Did not He know everything? _You_ would not be angry, papa? you would not have cast me away if I had taken something to get free of pain? Would He? He was her father too.’ ‘O, Cara, no one blames her--no one blames her!’ said Mrs. Meredith, with unrestrained tears. ‘She looked up to God,’ said the girl, with her voice full of awe. ‘She said I was to tell you; but I did not understand what it meant then, and afterwards I could not speak. It has always seemed to stand between us, papa, that I had this to tell you and could not speak.’ ‘My child,’ said the father, his lips trembling, ‘it has been my fault; but nothing shall stand between us any more.’