“To gloze over your deeds and machinations, to deny the dark cowardly work that has stabbed my peace for ever!  No, no!  The only service you can render me now is to keep out of my sight!  Erle Palma, I shall hate you to my dying hour; and my only remaining wish—­prayer—­is, that she whom you love may give her pure hand to another; that you may live to see her belong to other arms than yours, even as you have helped to thrust Belmont from mine!  Oh, I thank God! your cold selfish heart has stirred at last, and I shall have my revenge, when you come, like me, to see the lips you love kissed by another, and the hands that were so sacred to your fond touch clasped by some other man, wearing the badge and fetter of his ownership!  When your darling is a wife—­but not yours—­then the agony that you have inflicted on me will be your portion.  Because you love her, as you never yet loved even yourself, may you lose her for ever!”

She had struck off his hand, and while struggling up into a sitting posture, her eyes kindled, and her voice shook with the tempest of feeling that broke over her.

Mr. Palma crimsoned, but motioned Mrs. Palma away, and Regina exclaimed: 

“In her feeble state this excitement may be fatal.  Have you no mercy, Mr. Palma?”

“Because I wish to be merciful to her, I desire you will leave the room.”

Mrs. Palma seized the girl’s hand and drew her hastily away, and while the two sat on the staircase near the door of the sickroom, Regina learned from a hurried and fragmentary narration that her guardian had for years contributed to the comfort and maintenance of Mr. Eggleston’s mother and sister, that his influence had been exerted to induce a friend in Philadelphia to purchase the artist’s “California Landscape,” and that his persistent opposition to Olga’s marriage had been based upon indubitable proofs that Mr. Eggleston had deceived her; had addressed three other ladies during the seven years’ clandestine correspondence, and had merely trifled with the holiest feelings of the girl’s trusting heart.  In conclusion Mrs. Palma added: 

“Erle was too proud to defend himself, and sternly prohibited me from acquainting her with some of his friendly acts.  Even those two helpless Eggleston women do not dream that their annual contribution of money and fuel comes from him.  He would leave Olga in her prejudice and animosity, did he not think that a knowledge of all that has occurred might prove to her how unworthy that man is.  She stubbornly persists that my stepson is weary of supporting us, and desires to force a this marriage with Mr. Congreve; whereas he has from the beginning assured me he deemed it inexpedient, and dreaded the result.”

“Mrs. Palma, she insists that she will never marry any one now, and intends to join one of the Episcopal Church sisterhoods in a western city.”

“She certainly will not marry Mr. Congreve, for Erle called upon him and requested him to release Olga from the engagement, alleging, among other reasons, that her health was very much broken, and that she would spend some time in Europe.  This sisterhood scheme he declares he will not permit her to accomplish.”