The head of
the unhappy man sank upon his breast; his eyes, dewily suffused, were
cast upon the floor, and he spoke nothing, or inarticulately, in reply.
"What means this silence--what am I to believe--what am I to think, Mark
Forrester? You can not have given aid to those bad men, whom you
yourself despise. You have not so far forgotten yourself and me as to go
on with that wicked man Rivers, following his direction, to take away
life--to spill blood as if it were water! You have not done this, Mark.
Tell me at once that I am foolish to fear it for an instant--that it is
not so."
He strove, but in vain, to reply. The inarticulate sounds came forth
chokingly from his lips without force or meaning. He strode impatiently
up and down the apartment, followed by the young and excited maiden, who
unconsciously pursued him with repeated inquiries; while her mother,
awakened to the necessity of interference, vainly strove to find a
solution of the mystery, and to quiet both of the parties.
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