An Old, Unhappy, Far-off Thing 
     
    
   
   
    
     will understand why Kilmeny can’t speak, 
     
     and why it isn’t likely that there can ever 
     
     be anything done for her. She doesn’t 
     
     know the truth and you must never tell 
     
     her. It isn’t a fit story for her ears, espe- 
     
     cially when it is about her mother. Prom— 
     
     ise me that you will never tell her, no 
     
     matter what may happen.” 
     
    

    
     “ I promise. Go on — go on,” said the 
     
     young man feverishly. 
     
    

    
     Janet Gordon locked her hands together 
     
     in her lap, like a woman who nerves her- 
     
     self to some hateful task. She looked very 
     
     old; the lines on her face seemed doubly 
     
     deep and harsh. 
     
    

    
     “ My sister Margaret was a very proud, 
     
     high-spirited girl, Master. But I would 
     
     not have you think she was unlovable. 
     
     No, no, that would be doing a great in— 
     
     justice to her memory. She had her faults 
     
     as we all have; but she was bright and 
     
     merry and warm-hearted. We all loved 
     
     her. She was the light and life of this 
     
     house. Yes, Master, before the trouble 
     
    

    
     205