"I do now remember seeing him somewhere--sometime--I can't think, Star--where it was--what else?" said Edith, growing nervous. "He came every day, Edith--every day, after that, and sat by your bed for an hour, and held your hand--" "--now I know I am a goose for allowing such conduct--no, I am not mad, Star. Did he do that?" "--and he knelt down and prayed for you, every day, almost, Edith." "God bless him!" said Edith, as the tears came to her eyes. "--and you talked to him, Edith, sometimes, and always asked him to come again--" "--I must have been out of my head." "Don't you remember it, Edith--any of it, at all?" "I have a faint recollection of something, which I cannot clearly make out--I know--I know, Star. It has possessed me ever since I saw him--I am not provoked at anything he did, Star." "But, Edith; Edith, listen," said Star, in an admonishing tone; "he came as a matter of duty, believing it was an hallucination of yours." "He will forgive me, then," returned Edith, with calm resignation, "if I did or said anything unbecoming a lady, who--who--oh, Star, I cannot believe that I did anything wrong, do you? If he never knows, I will keep my secret, and you will help me in my troubled heart, will you not, dear?" "He loves you, Edith." "Dear Star," said Edith, as she threw both arms around her friend's neck; "does he? Does he? Are you sure?" "I am sure, Edith," said Star, kissing Edith. "He told me as much." "That was not kind in him; he should tell me first," said Edith, pensively. "But he told me not to tell," replied Star, regretfully; "and he said he never expected to claim your hand--" "Why? My riches will not be in the way," she said, as she began to cry. "That is why, Edith," said Star, consolingly. "He said he could not hope to meet you on the same level--" "Money!" exclaimed Edith. "Money," replied Star, very low; "he hasn't any." "That is why I love him, Star; and because he is better than any man I have ever seen, except, perhaps, my father. This is one of the greatest troubles the daughters of the rich have--the finding of a good young man among them; and the good young men who are poor are too self-conscious to seek us." "But he has asked to come again, Edith," said Star, hopefully.