you are, though I say it as shouldn't, God bless you! Well, there it is—would any poor scared bird as sees its cage door open not flutter to it, giddy at the thought to get free? 'Save me,' she says to him. Could any heart refuse her in that awful minute, Hector Browne? Beside themselves they drove away; but then they remembered their duty to you and themselves, and the Almighty, whose blessed eye, you see, was on 'em all the time. Without a kiss-even one such as we might give the dead-they parted never again to meet."

Hector went towards Margaret a few steps, but started back, muttering fiercely to the widow

"Why-oh, confound your glib tongue, woman! -why have you me now?"

"Back she goes," continued Elizabeth's glad, ringing voice, "with but one hope in the world to keep hope in her poor heart, and reason in her

head, and that was forgiveness from

K

"Her husband," sobs Margaret, falling on her knees at Hector's feet.

Miles and miles in the dark," goes on Elizabeth, "she runs to reach you, leaving sin and its wages of gold and dross, of ease and misery, behind her. She comes to your door seeking mercy-forgiveness; she finds a madman brooding over thoughts of vengeance. Her heart fails her, and she turns and flies away-far as her feet will bear her. Oh! 'twas a mercy she did not perish in my Joshua's grave-the sea-by which she ran till she reached our weir; and oh!—oh !--oh!"-the widow burst into sobs-" I found the blessed babes a-burying her with sand. Ah laws, this world! Let us go headlong on the road to sin, and it provides for us; but woe, woe unto those that turn back, for they are cast off alike by the righteous and the unrighteous, even as this poor woman is cast off. Hector Browne, I have said my say. I am known in these parts for an honest, God-fearing woman-do you

dare look me in the face and doubt what I have

told?"

The craven head, still bowed, was shaken; and

it gave no other answer.

Yes. He understands.

She is the same

when she stood among the lilacs in the garden of the "Bluejacket," and he cut the blossoms and filled her apron with them; and as when she held her cold little hand out to all his mates of the Lovely Nancy; as when she flushed and paled at the riotous wedding feast. He knew it. Many a remembrance came to mind verifying Elizabeth Vandereck. He had been to the inn where she and Kennedy stopped, and had heard something there that puzzled him-besides that cry outside the door that night. Oh yes! he sees all now.

What business has he here with these two good, holy women, and these innocent sleeping children?

Oh, what a craven shake of the head it was that answered Elizabeth's question! He dared

not look

up, lest the devil that moved his hand against Kennedy should grin at them in triumph from his eyes; or speak, lest it should laugh out in his voice. So he only cowered and shook his head.

"Hector, is it so?" says a voice that is once more purest music to his ear. "Do you believe this much good of me?"

"Ah!"

He starts up with almost a shout.

She has touched with her soft cheek the hand that smote Kennedy. Had she felt the stain of his blood upon it?

He stood staring at her wildly, fearfully, as if he expected to see her wet eyes flame with anger; then turned and fled from the house, with little less than a murderer's anguish and fear in his soul.

"My sister, all is well," says Elizabeth, taking Margaret in her arms.

"How, 'Lizbeth?" sobs Margaret. "He looked mad, fearful."

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"And don't you see why ?" asks the widow. Your husband, Margaret, has a great heart; and great hearts suffer greatly for their mistakes. He sees now how he has mistaken you, and the knowledge has, for the time, maddened him. He feels himself unworthy to touch your hand, or offer the forgiveness you ask."

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O 'Lizbeth! and you think this is so !"

"I am convinced. I saw it in his face and manner as he went out, and my heart ached for him. It was this, and nothing else.”

When the widow's judgment erred, it was generally on the safest that is to say, the kindest -side.

"But, 'Lizbeth, what can be done now?"

"Your duty is clear, Margaret," says Elizabeth; you must go to your rightful home to-morrow morning; and since you know he feels the wrong now all on his side, insist on staying there."