"Do not say a word against him, Tom; he is my husband, and I won't have a word said against him. If I am changed it is all his doing, and I love him. He has rescued me from ignorance and worse, and made me what I now am. Tom, Tom, you must not say a word against him. I won't bear it even from you." "There, there," said Tom, soothingly, as if he were speaking to a child, "I did not mean it, and I won't say another word. But are you happy?" "Happy!" echoed Susan--the answer to his question could be read in her face--"I never knew what happiness was before. I do not mean to blame you, Tom," seeing the look of surprise in Tom's face, "but I could never understand before. I have to thank him for reason and all. I can never repay all that he has done for me." Tom saw that it was useless to say anything further, and he changed the tenor of the conversation. "And how did you get over here, Susan?" he said, cheerfully. "Tell me how you got away, and all about it." "I never intended to go away until the last moment," said Susan, "and I was so frightened of mother that if I had thought of her I should have turned back; but he was with me, and I felt courage, and the next morning we were married in London, I believe, and then we came over here; and, oh! Tom, I am so happy!" She proceeded to tell him all about her daily life, and her little joys and pleasures. Tom was greatly interested. He saw that Susan was immensely improved, and he could not but be glad at the change, however much he may have been angry at the way in which it was brought about. Besides, no blame could be attached to her. Tom himself was in love, you see, and he could make greater allowances now on that score than he might previously have done. He saw that Markworth must be kind to her, and at all events, he had certainly done more good to Susan in these few weeks than all the doctors had done. For his part, he would cheerfully have let Markworth now have the money that he had plotted for, and be done with him altogether, but it did not rest in his hands, so the least he could do would be to try and get Susan to go back with him. "And will you come home with me now, Susan?" he asked, after a pause. "We are all so anxious about you; and you will find things all right at home now, and mother will be very kind." "And Allynne!--will he come too?" "No, Susan; I can't ask him. You ought to know that." "You want me to leave him? Tom, I will never leave him unless he sends me away himself." Just at this moment the door opened, and Markworth walked in as coolly as possible. Susan darted past Tom and threw her arms round his neck. "Oh! Allynne, Allynne!" she cried--she had learnt to call him by his Christian name, which no one else had done before--"they want to take me from you. You won't let me go, will you?"