Year: 1879




the next heir, your dear mamma being dead.
I knew your mamma very we'll, my dear.
She was very good to me, and was very beau
tiful and sweet. For her sake I'd like to do
you service"


Joshua's approach interrupted the colloquy
at this point; but Mildred had heard enough
to furnish variation to her usual dismal
train of thought, and to make her desirous Of
learning more.


Whether DR.. Carey, about this time, be-
gan to be struck by change in her looks for
the worse, and thought that continual soil.
tude might have too pernicious an effect upon
her, she could not tell but, at all events, be
soon after proposed that his sister should bear
her company for part Of each day, and she
was glad to accept the proposition. There
was now ample opportunity for Clarissa to
tell her all she was anxious to know, and it
was not long before she was put in possession
of the facts which the reader is already ac-
quainted with, at least 30 far as her inform.
ants knowledge oftheni went. She was now
fully convinced of the sincerity Of the latter,
in her expressions of good will and anxiety
to help her; and it was some encouragement
to her to find that she had at least the sym.
pathy of one person, in her trying situation,
though of her ability to aid her she had but
a faint hope.


"Joshua little knows" said Clarissa, "that
I have in my keeping some papers which will
be of the utmost Importance to you, in case
you make your escape while Sir Roxwell is
still alive and in his sound mind. These are
the letter and certificates your dear mother
wished sent on to my aunt, which he got
from that foolish parson on the vessel, and
which I-poor halfwitted body as he thinks
me-managed afterwards to get from hs'a.
And where do you think keep them
Why, in my work k-box-the last place in the
world he'd ever dream of searching for any
thing"


"Not very safe place, l imagine" said
Mildred. .......... .,


"My dear, you don't know. I've got a
false bottom to it-made it myself, Of bit of
wood, and covered it with silk lining cut off
an old parasol The papers are all between
the real bottom and the false one. won't
offer to give them into your keeping, because
I think they are safer where they are"


"I am quite willing to have you keep
them," said Mildred. "They are not likely
ever to be of use to me, in the way you think
of"


"They may, my dear, when you least ex-
pect it. We must keep up our courage, you
and I've can't tell what happy chance may
occur to favor our escape. And it would
make Joshua so furious to see you in pos.
session of the estate! 1t would do my heart
good to have him justly punished for bis
wickedness.


Mildred sighed. She had begun to consider
this very hopeless prospect. Her despon"
dency was still farther deepened when, about
six weeks after her capture, she was suddenly
forewarned of an unexpected move Joshua,
unwilling to remain away longer from the
vicinity of Sir Roxwell and the property be
coveted, decided to return to England. Mil
dred's heart would have been lightened,
could she have dared to hope for rescue on
the journey; but her jailer's vigilance was
too keen, and his plans too we'll laid, to ad'
nit of such a chance. They travelled pri.
vately, both ladies being kept entirely screen
ed from general observation and when a
change of conveyance was necessary, it was
effected with so much precaution that detec-
ton, even had friend been at hand, would
have been almost an i1npossibility.


They reached England, and Mildred, in
the new quarters assigned her, found herself
treated in precisely the same manner as be-
fore, and with as little prospect Of escape.