Miriam hastened onward, cast one look of anguish back to Thurston's
face, rushed back, and threw herself upon her knees at his feet, clasped
his hands, and cried:
"I do not ask you to pardon me--I dare not! But God deliver you! if it
brand me and my accusation with infamy! and God forever bless you!" Then
rising, she fled from the room.
The brothers looked at each other.
"Thurston, do you know where she has gone? what she intends to do?"
"Yes."
"You do?"
"Assuredly."
"And you would not prevent her?"
"Most certainly not."
Paul was gazing into his brother's eyes, and, as he gazed, every vestige
of doubt and suspicion vanished from his mind; it was like the sudden
clearing up of the sky, and shining forth of the sun; he grasped his
brother's hands with cordial joy.
"God bless you, Thurston! I echo her prayer. God forever bless you! But,
Thurston, would it not have been wiser to prevent her going out?"
"How? Would you have used force with Miriam--restrained her personal
liberty?"
"Yes! I would have done so!"
"That would have been not only wrong, but useless; for if her strong
affections for us were powerless to restrain her, be sure that physical
means would fail; she would make herself heard in some way, and thus
make our cause much worse.
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