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He still spoke calmly； but there was something in the look of his
eyes which showed me that he was suffering in spirit。 A sudden
nervousness overcame me； and I was obliged to sit down。
〃You knew Mary Mallinson； sir？〃 I asked； as quietly as I could。
〃I am her brother。〃
I clasped my hands and hid my face in despair。 Oh； the bitterness
of heart with which I heard him say those simple words！
〃You were very kind to her；〃 said the calm； tearless man。 〃In her
name and for her sake； I thank you。〃
〃Oh； sir；〃 I said； 〃why did you never write to her when you were
in foreign parts？〃
〃I wrote often；〃 he answered； 〃but each of my letters contained a
remittance of money。 Did Mary tell you she had a stepmother？ If
she did； you may guess why none of my letters were allowed to
reach her。 I now know that this woman robbed my sister。 Has she
lied in telling me that she was never informed of Mary's place of
abode？〃
I remembered that Mary had never communicated with her stepmother
after the separation； and could therefore assure him that the
woman had spoken the truth。
He paused for a moment after that； and sighed。 Then he took out a
pocket…book； and said：
〃I have already arranged for the payment of any legal expenses
that may have been incurred by the trial； but I have still to
reimburse you for the funeral charges which you so generously
defrayed。 Excuse my speaking bluntly on this subject； I am
accustomed to look on all matters where money is concerned purely
as matters of business。〃
I saw that he was taking several bank…notes out of the
pocket…book； and stopped him。
〃I will gratefully receive back the little money I actually paid；
sir； because I am not well off； and it would be an ungracious act
of pride in me to refuse it from you；〃 I said； 〃but I see you
handling bank…notes； any one of which is far beyond the amount
you have to repay me。 Pray put them back； sir。 What I did for
your poor lost sister I did from my love and fondness for her。
You have thanked me for that； and your thanks are all I can
receive。〃
He had hitherto concealed his feelings； but I saw them now begin
to get the better of him。 His eyes softened； and he took my hand
and squeezed it hard。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 he said； 〃I beg your pardon； with all my
heart。〃
There was silence between us； for I was crying； and I believe； at
heart； he was crying too。 At last he dropped my hand； and seemed
to change back； by an effort； to his former calmness。
〃Is there no one belonging to you to whom I can be of service？〃
he asked。 〃I see among the witnesses on the trial the name of a
young man who appears to have assisted you in the inquiries which
led to the prisoner's conviction。 Is he a relation？〃
〃No； sirat least； not nowbut I hope〃
〃What？〃
〃I hope that he may； one day； be the nearest and dearest relation
to me that a woman can have。〃 I said those words boldly； because
I was afraid of his otherwise taking some wrong view of the
connection between Robert and me
〃One day？〃 he repeated。 〃One day may be a long time hence。〃
〃We are neither of us well off； sir；〃 I said。 〃One day means the
day when we are a little richer than we are now。〃
〃Is the young man educated？ Can he produce testimonials to his
character？ Oblige me by writing his name and address down on the
back of that card。〃
When I had obeyed； in a handwriting which I am afraid did me no
credit； he took out another card and gave it to me。
〃I shall leave England to…morrow；〃 he said。 〃There is nothing now
to keep me in my own country。 If you are ever in any difficulty
or distress （which I pray God you may never be）； apply to my
London agent； whose address you have there。〃
He stopped； and looked at me attentively； then took my hand
again。
〃Wher e is she buried？〃 he said； suddenly； in a quick whisper；
turning his head away。
I told him； and added that we had made the grave as beautiful as
we could with grass and flowers。 I saw his lips whiten and
tremble。
〃God bless and reward you！〃 he said； and drew me toward him
quickly and kissed my forehead。 I was quite overcome； and sank
down and hid my face on the table。 When I looked up again he was
gone。
* * * * * * *
June 25th； 1841。 I write these lines on my wedding morning； when
little more than a year has passed since Robert returned to
England。
His salary was increased yesterday to one hundred and fifty
pounds a year。 If I only knew where Mr。 Mallinson was； I would
write and tell him of our present happiness。 But for the
situation which his kindness procured for Robert； we might still
have been waiting vainly for the day that has now come。
I am to work at home for the future； and Sally is to help us in
our new abode。 If Mary could have lived to see this day！ I am not
ungrateful for my blessings； but oh； how I miss that sweet face
on this morning of all others！
I got up to…day early enough to go alone to the grave； and to
gather the nosegay that now lies before me from the flowers that
grow round it。 I shall put it in my bosom when Robert comes to
fetch me to the church。 Mary would have been my bridesmaid if she
had lived； and I can't forget Mary； even on my wedding…day。 。 。 。
THE NIGHT。
THE last words of the last story fell low and trembling from
Owen's lips。 He waited for a moment while Jessie dried the tears
which Anne Rodway's simple diary had drawn from her warm young
heart； then closed the manuscript； and taking her hand patted it
in his gentle； fatherly way。
〃You will be glad to hear； my love；〃 he said； 〃that I can speak
from personal experience of Anne Rodway's happiness。 She came to
live in my parish soon after the trial at which she appeared as
chief witness； and I was the clergyman who married her。 Months
before that I knew her story； and had read those portions of her
diary which you have just heard。 When I made her my little
present on her wedding day； and when she gratefully entreated me
to tell her what she could do for me in return； I asked for a
copy of her diary to keep among the papers that I treasured most。
'The reading of it now and then；' I said； 'will encourage that
faith in the brighter and better part of human nature which I
hope； by God's help； to preserve pure to my dying day。' In that
way I became possessed of the manuscript： it was Anne's husband
who made the copy for me。 You have noticed a few withered leaves
scattered here and there between the pages。 They were put there；
years since； by the bride's own hand： they are all that now
remain of the flowers that Anne Rodway gathered on her marriage
morning from Mary Mallinson's grave。〃
Jessie tried to answer； but the words failed on her lips。 Between
the effect of the story； and the anticipation of the parting now
so near at hand； the good； impulsive； affectionate creature was
fairly overcome。 She laid her head on Owen's shoulder； and kept
tight hold of his hand； and let her heart speak simply for
itself； without attempting to help it by a single word。
The silence that followed was broken harshly by the tower clock。
The heavy hammer slowly rang out ten strokes through the gloomy
night…time and the dying storm。
I waited