Out of her sphere - University Library

208 OUT OF HER SPHERE.
subject that, above all, she wished avoided.
She went on with her crochet, quietly and
quickly as ever, her deft fingers showing
nothing of the storm raging within, but all
the time the thought eating into her heart
like a viper was— " If he should recover
after all, or be able to speak sensibly enough
to set that villain free !" Then she got up,
and smoothed her patient's pillow, and bent
over him, and gave him a little arrowroot,
and told him he was looking and feeling
better ; and yet, all that time, what a relief
it would have been if he had closed his
eyes in their last sleep, or if she had seen
the lips dumb for ever, that alone could tell
the secret she shared with him.
Mr. Thornton slept long and soundly
that night, and woke in the morning better
and stronger. But he said nothing as yet
to Clare ; indeed, he had so much to think
of; and in his weak state, thought itself
was sufl&cient. She was dead then—the