"'Yes, a good many times; and I mean that you shall perform too! This ceremony shall never take place till I am sure of that!' "Babylon grew pale as a ghost; something seemed to swell in her throat. "'Give back the diamonds,' she said, speaking as if she had a cold; and you shall have a written promise for twice their amount three months after I am married.' "'When?' "'Now. I will write out the paper at once.' "'Well, but remember it is made out to Cora, _your half-sister_, or I will not take it.' "Mrs. Dennison came to a little table that stood close by the arch, and, kneeling down on one knee, began to write. She seemed to hold her breath, and was pale as the pearls on her head. I could have touched her with my hand, but I stood still as a mouse until the paper was written. Cora came and looked over her shoulders as she signed her name. Just as it was done, there came a knock at the door, and both the women started away from the table, leaving the paper on it. I reached my hand softly through the curtain, and got it safe just as Mr. Lee came in. "Babylon was white as a sheet, and shook so that the dress rustled around her. "'Is she not beautiful, sir?' says Cora, looking as innocent as a lamb. "Mr. Lee smiled. Oh! Miss Hyde, isn't he grand? But in a minute his face changed, and, coming up to Mrs. Dennison, he took her hand and kissed it. "'How pale you are! Does the thought of to-morrow terrify you so much?' "She gave him one of her looks, and drew closer to him, like a lamb wanting shelter. He bent toward her, and, as Cora slid out of the room, put his arm around her waist, whispering something that I was too mad to hear. "I couldn't stand it. My poor mistress seemed to whisper, 'Now, Lottie, I trust to you!' I pushed the curtains aside, and, walking right straight in, stood before them. "'Mrs. Dennison,' says I, 'let go of my dead lady's husband. Mr. Lee, an angel has just come down from heaven to save you from a wicked, wicked fiend. I, a poor girl, am doing her work. Step back, Mrs. Dennison, till my master reads these letters, and this journal, with its purple cover and heaps of sin inside. If you want to know all about the bad heart of this woman, read it,' says I to Mr. Lee again; 'then ask her to look into your eyes if she dares.' "The woman turned on me with her great scared eyes--saw the journal in my hand--gave a wild look at the table--staggered toward the curtains--flung them back with an outward dash of her arms, and fell upon the floor of the other room. As the red curtains closed over her, I reached out the papers to Mr. Lee, and whispered, with tears in my eyes: "'Oh, master! read them for her sake, who loved you so dearly.'