“Oh, Laurie, you have loved her all her life! For the love of Heaven do not turn against my unhappy child now!” General Willoughby added, persuasively: “I am astonished to learn that there has been a lovers’ quarrel between you two, and I hope you will become reconciled at once. Laurie, Lelia has humbled herself sufficiently, and your stubbornness is disgraceful in a man. Come, come, give over pride, and take her to your heart again!” “Never! Never!” came sternly through the young man’s set teeth. “Never!” shrieked Lelia. “Never!” echoed her mother wildly. “Never!” repeated the old general incredulously. And the young man thus harassed, turned at bay, squared his broad shoulders defiantly, and threw back his proud, handsome head, answering sternly: “It is useless to appeal to me; useless to reproach me. I will never marry my cousin, Lelia! She has broken our troth herself and told me she loved another. Whether true or false does not matter to me, for my heart has turned from her forever. I forgive her as she asked me. I will remain her friend and cousin still, but never more her lover!” and to end the painful scene he stalked resolutely from the room. CHAPTER XXI. IF IT COSTS MY HEART’S BLOOD. He heard her passionate, protesting cry, but he did not turn back for it, only stalked on the faster to his own room to spend a sleepless night, tormented by despair at Gipsy’s loss, disgusted and angered at Lelia’s acting. “Faugh, what an actress!” he muttered impatiently. “But she cannot impose on me! Her mother has tutored her to this, fearful that in losing me she has sacrificed half of Aunt Cyrilla’s money. She is welcome to it all; I would not accept it on any terms if I had to take my ill-tempered cousin with it! How she will hate me now for refusing the olive branch! But I do not care for either her love or hate; I am no longer her meek, cringing slave; I glory in my freedom!” He fondly believed that this ended the episode with his spoiled cousin. He did not know her very well yet, despite their long acquaintance. Lelia determined to win by strategy what she could not compass by her charms. Humbled by his open scorn, furious over her failure to subdue his heart as of old with a glance or word, she retired to her chamber to sulk alone and to brood over plans for his subjugation. And, meanwhile, the mistress of The Crags lay still as death upon her bed, deserted by all but the trained nurse, Mrs. Goodwill. The other two had only remained for its effect upon Laurie. On his retirement, they had also gone to their rooms to muse, angrily, over their defeat. Laurie, wakeful and restless, took a lamp at last and went to explore Gipsy’s room, with a strange, yearning thrill as if it might bring him nearer to the loved and lost. The door yielded to his touch, and with a throbbing heart, he entered and stood alone in that chamber of horrors.