Page:The Father Confessor, Stories of Danger and Death.djvu/255

Rh thought of how he had followed and spied upon her. No, there was no one to suspect.

"You have grown cold to me, you do not love me," he said sullenly. "Why is this?"

"I do care," she said in a low, disturbed voice.

"You lie to me," he said, maddened at her confusion.

She did not reply, but he read the truth upon her face. She did not love him. Without a word he unlocked the door and let her go. She passed him weeping, and he heard her go upstairs to her room. After that night he had no peace. Sometimes he vowed to leave her to go as she willed, after whatever strange motive she liked. At others, a great rage seized him to solve the mystery of her behaviour, and end it. Now she seldom went outside, but would sit alone in her room, and if he went into her presence suddenly, he saw a holy light upon her face like one who knew a great love.

At last the truth burst upon him, leaving him for the moment stricken. One day he passed her door and heard her voice. Thinking she called him, he stopped and listened,