“I could not marry you with the weight of a terrible secret on my heart, and the time has now come when I must tell you the truth, which I have been hiding from my friends ever since I came here.” Written by Laura Jean Libbey (1862–1925) and copyright 1894 by Laura Jean Libbey. Transcribed and edited by Jeffrey Merrow. 23 Chapters, 160 pages, 47,400 words Chapters: I. “I Will Give You Just One Minute to Decide.” II. “I Must See the Bride Elect!” III. “That is My Answer!” Cried Aleta. IV. The Missing Bridegroom. V. On the Other Side of That Closed Door. VI. It Would Have Been a Terrible Mistake. VII. A Fatal Sleigh-Ride. VIII. “If I Had Never Known You—” IX. Had She Known How It Was to End. X. The Betrothal. XI. Isabel’s Brain Concocts a Cruel Scheme. XII. Jealousy is Bitter to Bear. XIII. “My Betrothed has Gone to the Picnic with Another.” XIV. For a Little While They Were Happy. XV. “The Marriage Must Be Prevented.” XVI. “Can Nothing Induce You to Forego This Mad—” XVII. He Dared Not Offer His Bride One Kiss. XVIII. Isabel Entreats Aleta to Make a Confidant of Her. XIX. Do Dreams Always Come True. XX. “I Must Set Aleta Free.” XXI. “I Will Not Be Jealous of Her.” XXII. “This Roof Cannot Shelter Us Both.” XXIII. “They Have Gone—Together!” XXIV. A Case of Brain Fever. XXV. Her Heart Cries Out for Phillip. XXVI. How Lonely and Bitter is a Life of Toil. XXVII. The Fatal Lilac Walk. XXVIII. When the Whole World Goes Wrong. XXIX. “Without You a Paradise Would be Dark and—” XXX. Two More Wretched Beings Never Dwelt Under— XXXI. “Tell Me the Sad Secret of Your Life.” XXXII. Aleta’s Pitiful Tale is Told Too Late. XXXIII. “She Has Won Him at the Price of Her Soul.” XXXIV. “I Have Just Met Archie Denning!” XXXV. “Do Not Drive Me to Desperation!” XXXVI. “Your Message Was Too Late.” XXXVII. “The Most Tragic Sorrow the Heart Can Know.” XXXVIII. “How Could I Marry One Lover While My—” XXXIX. The Room That Held a Secret. XL. A Mystery in the Night. XLI. A Pitiful Elopement. XLII. “Heaven Will Be Kind to You—” XLIII. “Over the Cliff—To Death!” XLIV. “A First Love is a Woman’s Life.” XLV. Which Woman Should He Save? XLVI. Aleta Wrongfully Accused. XLVII. Aleta’s Strange Exposure. XLVIII. Heaven Intended Her for Another. XLIX. A Refuge at Last. L. “You Want to Live to Marry Phillip?” LI. Her Bridal Morn. LII. “Learn to Forget Me.” LIII. Conclusion.