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dried up at heart。 It is a pleasant reflection to me to remember
this； and perhaps it may be the same to you； for which reason
only I speak of it。
As for the other persons connected with the troubles at Darrock
Hall； I may mention the vile woman Josephine first； so as to have
the sooner done with her。 Mr。 Dark's guess； when he tried to
account for her want of cunning in hiding the stolen property； by
saying that her mind might have had more weighing on it than she
was able to bear； turned out to b e nothing less than the plain
and awful truth。 After she had been found guilty of the robbery；
and had been condemned to seven years' transportation； a worse
sentence fell upon her from a higher tribunal than any in this
world。 While she was still in the county jail； previous to her
removal； her mind gave way； the madness breaking out in an
attempt to set fire to the prison。 Her case was pronounced to be
hopeless from the first。 The lawful asylum received her； and the
lawful asylum will keep her to the end of her days。
Mr。 James Smith； who； in my humble opinion； deserved hanging by
law； or drowning by accident at least； lived quietly abroad with
his Scotch wife （or no wife） for two years； and then died in the
most quiet and customary manner； in his bed； after a short
illness。 His end was described to me as a 〃highly edifying one。〃
But as he was also reported to have sent his forgiveness to his
wifewhich was as much as to say that _he_ was the injured
person of the twoI take leave to consider that he was the same
impudent vagabond in his last moments that he had been all his
life。 His Scotch widow has married again； and is now settled in
London。 I hope her husband is all her own property this time。
Mr。 Meeke must not be forgotten； although he has dropped out of
the latter part of my story because he had nothing to do with the
serious events which followed Josephine's perjury。 In the
confusion and wretchedness of that time； he was treated with very
little ceremony； and was quite passed over when we left the
neighborhood。 After pining and fretting some time； as we
afterward heard； in his lonely parsonage； he resigned his living
at the first chance he got； and took a sort of under…chaplain's
place in an English chapel abroad。 He writes to my mistress once
or twice a year to ask after her health and well…being； and she
writes back to him。 That is all the communication they are ever
likely to have with each other。 The music they once played
together will never sound again。 Its last notes have long since
faded away and the last words of this story； trembling on the
lips of the teller； may now fade with them。
THE NINTH DAY。
A LITTLE change in the weather。 The rain still continues； but the
wind is not quite so high。 Have I any reason to believe； because
it is calmer on land； that it is also calmer at sea？ Perhaps not。
But my mind is scarcely so uneasy to…day； nevertheless。
I had looked over the newspaper with the usual result； and had
laid it down with the customary sense of disappointment； when
Jessie handed me a letter which she had received that morning。 It
was written by her aunt； and it upbraided her in the highly
exaggerated terms which ladies love to employ； where any tender
interests of their own are concerned； for her long silence and
her long absence from home。 Home！ I thought of my poor boy and of
the one hope on which all his happiness rested； and I felt
jealous of the word when I saw it used persuasively in a letter
to our guest。 What right had any one to mention 〃home〃 to her
until George had spoken first？
〃I must answer it by return of post；〃 said Jessie； with a tone of
sorrow in her voice for which my heart warmed to her。 〃You have
been very kind to me； you have taken more pains to interest and
amuse me than I am worth。 I can laugh about most things； but I
can't laugh about going away。 I am honestly and sincerely too
grateful for that。〃
She paused； came round to where I was sitting； perched herself on
the end of the table； and； resting her hands on my shoulders；
added gently：
〃It must be the day after to…morrow； must it not？〃
I could not trust myself to answer。 If I had spoken； I should
have betrayed George's secret in spite of myself。
〃To…morrow is the tenth day；〃 she went on； softly。 〃It looks so
selfish and so ungrateful to go the moment I have heard the last
of the stories； that I am quite distressed at being obliged to
enter on the subject at all。 And yet； what choice is left me？
what can I do when my aunt writes to me in that way？〃
She took up the letter again； and looked at it so ruefully that I
drew her head a little nearer to me； and gratefully kissed the
smooth white forehead。
〃If your aunt is only half as anxious to see you again； my love；
as I am to see my son； I must forgive her for taking you away
from us。〃 The words came from me without premeditation。 It was
not calculation this time； but sheer instinct that impelled me to
test her in this way； once more； by a direct reference to George。
She was so close to me that I felt her breath quiver on my cheek。
Her eyes had been fixed on my face a moment before； but they now
wandered away from it constrainedly。 One of her hands trembled a
little on my shoulder； and she took it off。
〃Thank you for trying to make our parting easier to me；〃 she
said； quickly； and in a lower tone than she had spoken in yet。 I
made no answer； but still looked her anxiously in the face。 For a
few seconds her nimble delicate fingers nervously folded and
refolded the letter from her aunt； then she abruptly changed her
position。
〃The sooner I write； the sooner it will be over；〃 she said； and
hurriedly turned away to the paper…case on the side…table。
How was the change in her manner to be rightly interpreted？ Was
she hurt by what I had said； or was she secretly so much affected
by it； in the impressionable state of her mind at that moment； as
to be incapable of exerting a young girl's customary
self…control？ Her looks； actions； and language might bear either
interpretation。 One striking omission had marked her conduct when
I had referred to George's return。 She had not inquired when I
expected him back。 Was this indifference？ Surely not。 Surely
indifference would have led her to ask the conventionally civil
question which ninety…nine persons out of a hundred would have
addressed to me as a matter of course。 Was she； on her side；
afraid to trust herself to speak of George at a time when an
unusual tenderness was aroused in her by the near prospect of
saying farewell？ It might beit might not beit might be。 My
feeble reason took the side of my inclination； and； after
vibrating between Yes and No； I stopped where I had begunat
Yes。
She finished the letter in a few minutes； and dropped it into the
post…bag the moment it was done。
〃Not a word more；〃 she said； returning to me with a sigh of
relief〃not a word about my aunt or my going away till the time
comes。 We have two more days； let us make the most of them。〃
Two more days！ Eight…and…forty hours still to pass； sixty minutes
in each of those hours； and every minute long enough to bring
with it an e