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"CRUEL AS THE GRAVE." 197face colourless as marble, anclher blue eyes, fixedwith a painful expression of terror, under theshock of this new discovery. She had had noworse apprehension than that the letter wouldannounce the day of George's intended return,and for that she was prepared; but this! It yvastoo much for her, and the first yvords she utteredshowed that her mind had lost its strict facultyof reasoning; they broke fromher with a groan:" I— Iitis yvho have destroy-ed him!"But, even now, weakness ancl exaggerationhad nolong duration inHarrietRouth's mind. Bydegrees she saw this in its true light, an alarming,a terrible coincidence indeed, an additionto the clanger of their position, but not necessarilya fatal catastrophe. Then she saw newlight, shecaught at a new idea, a fresh, bright hope. Thiswould avail yvith Routh; this would drive awayhis irresolution; this would really inspire himyvith the true conviction of their danger; this,yvliich yvould throw the w-hole burden of identificationupon liim; this, which would establish astrong and intimate link between him ancl thedead man; for the"articles to be purchased,"