Hester tottered, and would have fallen, but Bessy caught her arm and led her below, where, as soon as they were alone, the former fell upon her knees, and held up her hands, catching those of Bessy as she stood before her. "Listen to me, Miss Studwick," she moaned. "Don't condemn me unheard. I thought you believed in me, but you shrank from me just now." Bessy did not speak, but gazed down on the sobbing woman with a look of pity. "My dear husband has allowed cruel suspicions to creep into his heart, and he wrongs me--he does, indeed. Oh, Bessy, Bessy, you loved him once, I know, I know you did, and you must have hated me for taking his love from you." A low sigh burst from Bessy's breast, but she did not speak. "You know," sobbed Hester, "how true and noble and frank he is." "I do," said Bessy softly. "Then, what would the woman be who could betray him, even in thought? Would she not be the vilest, the most cruel of wretches?" "She would, indeed," said Bessy coldly. "Bessy--Miss Studwick," cried Hester, with a low wail of misery, "if I have committed any sin it is that of loving my dear husband too well. God--God knows how innocent I am. Oh! it is too hard to bear." She sank lower on the cabin floor, weeping silently, but only by a great effort, for the heavy sobs kept rising to her lips, and in her agony the intense desire to obtain relief in uttering loud cries was almost more than she could master. Bessy stood looking down upon her with brows knit and lips pressed together, for her heart whispered to her that this was a judgment on this woman, who had robbed her of her love, and that she ought to rejoice over her downfall. Then, too, the thought came that, this idol fallen, she might, perhaps, herself be raised up in its place, and a flash of joy irradiated her mind, but only for a moment. Then her better nature prevailed, and bending down she lifted the prostrate woman with ease, and laid her upon the couch-like locker that filled one side of the cabin, kneeling down beside her, and drawing the dishevelled head upon her bosom. "Hester," she whispered, "I did hate you, very, very bitterly, as intensely as I once loved Dutch Pugh; but all that is passed. When I came to your house, and began to know you better, I used to go home and kneel down and pray for his happiness with you, while, when I heard of his trouble, my hatred began to fight its way back, so that the last day or two I have felt ready to curse you for the wreck you have made." "Oh, no, no, no," sobbed Hester, clinging to her; "I am innocent." "Yes, I know and believe that now," said Bessy; "and I will help you to win him back to the same belief."