“I have no longer any need of a disguise, and I shall be very glad to don some more becoming apparel,” Salome said, smiling, as she lifted her lips for his parting caress. Even then she let him go with reluctance. She followed him to the door, and let him out with her own hands, while she told him with a shy smile and blush, that the time would seem long until he returned. Then she went back to Harriet, who could no longer restrain the delight which the beautiful, happy face afforded her, and who caught her in her strong arms and gave her a vigorous hug. “Bless your dear heart, Miss Salome!” she cried; “it does my old soul good to see that light on your face, and to know that you are happier than any queen on her throne. Now I am just dying to know the whole story. Sit down, and tell me all about it, while I eat my dinner.” Salome obeyed, and sitting opposite the faithful creature, gave her a brief history of all that we already know. “I knew those women were a couple of dev—fallen angels,” Harriet dryly remarked, when Salome told her how Mrs. Rochester had plotted to get her into the asylum. “It didn’t take me long to find that out when I went to nurse them through the cholera, for all they were so sweet when Dr. Winthrop was around. And to think that you were his wife and he never suspected it all the time you were taking care of him! No wonder you grew white and thin, with all the care, and with all you’ve suffered since. Bless my heart! but I don’t envy his mother and sister when they find out who was so good to them, when they were near dying with the plague. I hope they’ll never get over the shame of it—never!” “And I hope, Harriet, that it will prove to be the one thing that will break down their pride and make them love me,” Salome responded, with grave sweetness. CHAPTER XLV. “IT IS ALL RIGHT, MY DARLING!” After leaving Salome, Dr. Winthrop hastened at once to a telegraph office, where he wrote the following cable message: “TO CONRAD CONVERSE, “Chambers Street, New York: “You are hereby notified to quash at once all proceedings for divorce of Truman H. Winthrop and Salome Winthrop. Answer immediately, stating exactly how matters stand. “TRUMAN H. WINTHROP, “SALOME H. WINTHROP.” Having dispatched this, the young physician went at once to his hotel, where, after writing some letters, he retired, to try to shorten by sleep the long hours which must intervene before he could go again to Salome. To say that he was anxious regarding the answer he would receive to his message, but faintly expresses the torturing suspense which he experienced.