The sensational murder of old Hallijohn stirred East Lynne to its depths. Bethel, the dead man's crony, had found young Richard Hare on the spot, with the gun in his hand. Richard had escaped, and was a fugitive under charge of murder. Poor Barbara, his sister, stoutly denied his guilt, and enlisted the sympathy of the rich Mr. Carlyle, who had bought Lord Mount Severn's estate, and after his death, had married his daughter. But presently people ceased to speak of the murder, and began to whisper instead that Lady Isabel was jealous of Barbara Hare. Carlyle never suspected that his intimacy with the girl, born of his desire to help her brother, was misconstrued by his wife. Least of all did he suspect that Sir Francis Levison, lately returned from abroad, was making use of the situation to poison Isabel's mind against him. So he was heartbroken when Isabel went away with Levison, leaving her two children motherless. For their sake he got a divorce and married Barbara. Isabel, waiting in France until she was free to marry Levison, discovered his true character when, on learning of Carlyle's divorce, he laughed at her. Desolate, she returned to England, and in disguise, became governess to her own children, so as to be near them. Bitter was her portion, to see Barbara in her place as Carlyle's wife, and never to dare give her babies a mother's kiss. But fate was kind to her before she died of grief, permitting her to be recognized and forgiven by her husband and children. And fate overtook Levison, her betrayer, who was dramatically recognized and convicted of old Hallijohn's murder.