Year: 1864

ulHcullles, Her sNihpathN With cut uHoOu-
She returned the child's caress, and began
herself to sob anon tears trickled down
her checks, and gave hopes that her obsti-
macy was being shaken. But it was not
much she said when she did speak; n
soothing word or two to the child was all
that was forthcoming She stuck to her
text, and all that poor Minnie cou'd get
out Of her was promise that she would
come and see them.


Boo hoo ooI sobbed Minnie, 'but
want to 90 and see you too. -


NO, Miss, you cannot do that; it is too
far"


"phcn | must write to you; tell me
where / must write


Jane seemed to ponder a moment, and
then assented to the proposal. She would
put down the address if Miss Minnie would
bring her pen and paper.


"Write to this direction, Miss Minnie,
and | shall get the letter"


The child brought the paper to me-
She was spelling it over, and stuck at one
Gf the words.


What's ths?' she said, San or a d ?"


| took it in my hand to sole her diff
Guilty. Goodness gracious What light
flashed on me in a moment saw, with
force of conviction amounting almost TO
absolute certainty, that the writing was
the same as that Of the anonymous docu-
ment. In fact, | ought to have mentioned
that in respect Of handwriting ] was al
most professional expert 1t is parti-
ca ar ia cnt, perhaps | should say the one
and only talent with which am endowed;
but this one power | do possess in an un
usual degree. saw in moment that it
was Jane herself who had given the anon
ymous warning. Certain it is that my
color rose, or that started, or did some
thing else to prove that l was not a mere
statue


Jane quick eye caught the sign in
moment, and putting down the child, she
made for the door, as if to escape Her
look had suddenly become that Of detected
guilt | stood between her and the door,
and peremptorily motioned her back. As
though in defect of moral force, she obeyed
and stood waiting the next act of the dra-
mn.


Minnie" | said, eve are busy now,
and you must 60 back to the school room.
will take care of this address, so off with
you.


And lifted her out and shut the door


As knew, so l spoke: Jane, you
wrote that letter"


What letter Z she murmured, with a
poor attempt at non-co:nr rehension.


',rhat letter which has thrown the fam
ily into trouble, You know you DID, and
you feel that know you did, and that no
attempt at evasion can succeed"


And evidently she did feel it, She
writhed in anguish on the floor, and Bit
tcrlv wrung her hands, but did not reite~
rate denial Her pale lips, parting voice
less, moved me TO compassion, and | ad-
vanced to ring the bell


NO she easped, "call no one You
have discovered my secret, though I can
not understand how Let it be confined
to you, at least Cor the present, til | get
out Of the way-awav from these faces
that love so dearly, and that kill me with
se|Ereproach.'


With a great effort she obtained the
mastery over her muscles, and knet up
right In spite Of my endcayors and even
entreatics she kept that posture, and with
clasped hands and pteous eyes, and deep
distress of soul, she poured forth her con-
fession


IN substance this is what she said She
had been, in consequence of sin in early
youth, thrown on the world without a
charactcr They who had first tempted
her to evil stepped in as helpers in her
hour of need They we're able and willing
to find her a she wanted She had for
fcited genuine recommendations, but they
proffered her spurious substitutes, SO cum
ningly contrived as to defy detection, and
so laudatorv in kind rs to carry by storm
the best places. They abundantly sup
piled her with money and dress, and all
those things which foo ish servant cir :
10 e. In return they required from her
coadiutators in = grand scheme of evil
doing. They were neither more nor less
than a cleverly organized association OF
thieves, having ramifications all o=er the
country, and working systematically. To
them were to be attributed most Of the
plate robberies and house breakings that
took place throughout the country; as, in
fact. they were as Eowerfu in Cornwall
as in London. and this in consequence of
their Affiliations throughout the length and
breadth of the land Their plan was TO
send cnmissaries Of their own into fami-
lies. or to win over actual servants, and
through their means obtain access to hou-
ses. Gf course their information kept
them posted as to the most promising spe-
eulations and the most likely time of ope-
ration. Their system of realizing the
value of their spoil was such as to divest
the proceeding of almost all risk of detec-