enough of her. But you are every inch a lady, and allow me to add that I put you on my free list for life."
Rugge gone; Arabella Crane summoned Bridgett to her presence.
"Lor, miss," cried Bridgett, impulsively, " who'd think you'd been up all night raking! I have not seen you look so well this many a year."
"Ah," said Arabella Crane, " I will tell you why. I have done what for many a year I never thought I should do again— a good action. That child—that Sophy—you remember how cruelly I used her?"
"Oh, miss, don't go for to blame yourself; you fed her, you clothed her, when her own father, the villing, sent her away from himself to you—you of all people—you. How could you be caressing and fawning on his child—their child?"
Mrs. Crane hung her head gloomily. *' What is past is past. I have lived to save that child, and a curse seems lifted from my soul. Now listen; I shall leave London—England, probably, this evening. You will keep this house; it will be ready for me any moment I return. The agent who collects my house-rents will give you money as you want it. Stint not yourself, Bridgett. I have been saving, and saving, and saving, for dreary years- nothing else to interest me—and I am richer than I seem."
"But where are you going, miss?" said Bridgett, slowly recovering from the stupefaction occasioned by her mistress' announcement.
"I don't know—I don't care."
"Oh, gracious stars! is it with that dreadful Jasper Losely? —it is, it is. You are crazed, you are bewitched, miss!"
"Possibly I am crazed—possibly bewitched; but I take that man's life to mine as a penance for all the evil mine has ever known; and a day or two since I should have said, with rage and shame, ' I cannot help it; I loathe myself that I can care what becomes of him.' Now, without rage, without shame, I say,
- The man whom I once so loved shall not die on a gibbet if I can help it; and, please Heaven, help it I will.'"
The grim woman folded her arms on her breast, and raising her head to its full height, there was in her face and air a stern gloomy grandeur, which could not have been seen without a mixed sensation of compassion and awe.
"Go, now, Bridgett; I have said all. He will be here soon; he will come—he must come—he has no choice; and then—and then—" she closed her eyes, bowed her head, and shivered.
Arabella Crane was, as usual. right in her predictions. Before
