He took her hand in his and held it gently, awaiting what she would say next.  His heart swelled so with thankfulness that she had recognized him, he could hardly repress a sob.  Gradually her eyes became softer and less intense in their gaze.  The tears were slowly gathering, and presently some large hot drops rolled down her cheek.  Then the flood-gates were opened, and the heart-easing stream gushed forth; deep sobs came; and for nearly an hour she lay without speaking, while the heavy icy pressure that withheld her misery from utterance was thus melting away.  How precious these tears were to Maynard, who day after day had been shuddering at the continually recurring image of Tina with the dry scorching stare of insanity!

By degrees the sobs subsided, she began to breathe calmly, and lay quiet with her eyes shut.  Patiently Maynard sat, not heeding the flight of the hours, not heeding the old clock that ticked loudly on the landing.  But when it was nearly ten, Dorcas, impatiently anxious to know the result of Mr. Gilfil’s appearance, could not help stepping in on tip-toe.  Without moving, he whispered in her ear to supply him with candles, see that the cow-boy had shaken down his mare, and go to bed—­he would watch with Caterina—­a great change had come over her.

Before long, Tina’s lips began to move.  ‘Maynard,’ she whispered again.  He leaned towards her, and she went on.

’You know how wicked I am, then?  You know what I meant to do with the dagger?’

‘Did you mean to kill yourself, Tina?’

She shook her head slowly, and then was silent for a long while.  At last, looking at him with solemn eyes, she whispered, ‘To kill him.’

’Tina, my loved one, you would never have done it.  God saw your whole heart; He knows you would never harm a living thing.  He watches over His children, and will not let them do things they would pray with their whole hearts not to do.  It was the angry thought of a moment, and He forgives you.’

She sank into silence again till it was nearly midnight.  The weary enfeebled spirit seemed to be making its slow way with difficulty through the windings of thought; and when she began to whisper again, it was in reply to Maynard’s words.

’But I had had such wicked feelings for a long while.  I was so angry, and I hated Miss Assher so, and I didn’t care what came to anybody, because I was so miserable myself.  I was full of bad passions.  No one else was ever so wicked.’

’Yes, Tina, many are just as wicked.  I often have very wicked feelings, and am tempted to do wrong things; but then my body is stronger than yours, and I can hide my feelings and resist them better.  They do not master me so.  You have seen the little birds when they are very young and just begin to fly, how all their feathers are ruffled when they are frightened or angry; they have no power over themselves left, and might fall into a pit from mere fright.  You were like one of those little birds.  Your sorrow and suffering had taken such hold of you, you hardly knew what you did.’