Year: 1874

So she sat still, watching and waiting
for an opening, and doing meanwhile such
things as came to hand.


According to her third cousin, Ira
Horton, there was mead of all this watch
ing and waiting at stood to reason -
according to that very well-to-do and
prudent farmer, ''that there was no sense
in Mary Anne's occupying q house which
she could rent for two hundred year, and
keeping that old black woman, not worth
her salt. There was enough else she
might do" 50 argued Ira, whom Miss
Fitch disliked, and came as near hating as
her gentle nature and Christian principles
would allow and that for several reasons
Tie was always assuming the right to med
die in her affairs, he annoyed her by call
! ing her Mary Anne, and he wanted to
marry her, Ira had lost three wives in
| twenty years, and on the two first bereave-
ments, after an interval Of some months,
he had offered himself to his cousin. He
had not yet repeated the offer since the
| demise OF Number Three, but Miss Fitch
knew the event was impending, and She
kept out of his way.


Miss Fitch had finished her business in
Philadelphia, She had disposed OF her
work and acquired new stock Of materi-
ais; she had bought new dress for her
self and one for Katy She had visited the
library and carried off Hakluyt's Voyages
and Mrs. ELEPHANTS new novel; and She
had bought a box OF candy at Whitmam's
"a ladylike weakness Of which she was in
her heart little ashamed She was now
sitting in the upper cabin OF the neat and
pretty little steamer, quietly amused with
the hustle OF the wharf, and waiting to
open her novel till they should begin to
thread the tortuous Windings Of Cohansey
Greek.


A little before the boat pushed Oft, the
attention Of Miss Fitch was attracted to q
woman who walked hastily down to the
wharf, and after asking a question or two
came on board and up into the cabin. The
woman was poorly dressed in a shabby
silk which had once been rich and hand
some, and she held by the hand Il child
some six Years Old, attired in the same
Wav--a thin, Wizened, scared little crea-
ture, with great black eyes and a stOop
which almost amounted to deformity. The
appearance OF the pair was iorlorn in the
extreme, and the woman IN particular had
wild, haggard look of utter misery
Miss Fitch had a heart which always went
out toward anything like tollorn child.
She watched the little girl with interest,
and presently offered her a cake which
she took from her bag. The child went
tmidiy toward her, and then, as if at
tracted by something in her face, sat down
on q stool at her feet


es, yes, said her companion in brok-
en- English. you stay BY the pretty lady
she be good to you !"


is she sick p asked Miss Fitch,


The woman shook her head as if not
understanding the words, and then leav-
ing the cabin she went out on the little
upper deck to which it opened, and stood
looking at the shore and ships. The little
girl showed signs Of drowsiness, and
Miss Fitch lifted her to the cushions BY
her side, where she was soon asleep Miss
Fitch became engaged in her novel, glanc-
ing now and then at the child's guardian
who still stood gazing ut the shore. The
boat Was now passing the fort, and it
was growing too dark TO read when Miss
Fitch looking up, saw the strange woman
suddenly spring over the railing OF the
deck and disappear under the wheel,



The boat was instantly stopped and every
effort made to save her, but in vain. She
was probably struck by the wheel, for
she never rose.


sWen, I've done all | could said
Capt. McGregor, coming into the cabin
where MISS Fitch was holding on her lap
the still sleeping child Poor thing
she's gone to her account sudden enough
| mistrusted something wrong about her
from the first, and | rather guess she
meant to do it when she came aboard
It's wonder she didn't take the child too
Poor little thing! how sound she sleeps
don't she ?''


'.Rather too sound, am afraid, - said
Miss Fitch: Il fear she has been drug
ged"


"LikeIy As not 1t might BE q mercy
If she never walked, poor lamb She'll
have to he taken care Of somtia1f- fol 10
night, and tomorrow III carry her back,
and hand her over to the authorities


"And what will become of her after
that? asked Miss Fitch looking down at
the little dark thin face, SO unlike any
thing she had ever seen, and which yet
seemed some way not utterly unknown to
her.


80, she'll have 10 go to the almshouse
and take her chance among the rest. Ii
seems q poor lookout for q girl, don't it
worse than Tor q boy"


Miss Fitch did not answer for moment
OF two Then she said, as if changing
the subject, Il suppose this will make us
rather late p


"Well, yes. I've lost more than an hour
with this business, but it couldn't be helped.
The poor thing wasn't much good to her
self OF anyone else, | dare say, but of
course | had to take Just as much pains to
find her as if she had been the best wo-
man in the world You saw her when
she Went didn't you?"


Yes" said Miss Fitch, shuddering at
the recollection; Il had my eyes on her
at the moment


did she jump or fall, think ?"


''Oh, she jumped; there could be no
doubt about it. Inever saw such a glance
as she cast behind her"


"Well, well, the Lords mercitnl, said
the captain, Every likely she didn't know
what She was about But what to do with
the girl?" Ny wife's down to Salem and
our house is shut up, SO | can't take her
home"


u will take her home, = said Mss Fitch,
decidedly "She needs care and watch
ing am sure she has been drugged,'


"Well, I'm sure But it's just likey your
folks, said Capt McGregor, Pam rather
afraid you may get into scrape, though.
The child looks to me as though she was
getting down sick


so much the more need Of care, an
swered Miss Fitch Il have no one to
think Of but myself and Katy, you know
she added with rather fearful smile, Tor
she had been much shaken 1--WE have
both had the smallpox, and it can't well
be worse than that


About three o'clock in the morning the
little stray, wrapped in warm, clean fan
mel, was laid in Miss Fitch's own bed.
She had reused a little-enough 70 drink
some Of the coffee which Aunt Katy had
ready for her own nursling, but she soon
dropped off again Her Undertaking,
though much worm was both fine and