ashamed of yourselves, and the family in
such trouble! Downright owdacious!'

'Be this your house?' said Tom, stepping before Charlotte, his
dejection giving way instantly to rude independence.

'Oh, very well,' said Martha, with dignity. 'I know what to expect
from such sort of people. The house and young woman is in my charge,
sir; and if you don't be off, I'll call the police.'

'Never trouble your old bones!' retorted Tom.

'Good-bye to you, Charlotte;' and, as in defiance of Martha, he took
her passive hand. 'You'll remember one as loved you true and faithful,
but was drove desperate! Good-bye! I'll not trouble no one no more!'

The three concluding negatives with which he dashed out of the house
utterly overwhelmed Charlotte, and made her perfectly insensible to
Mrs. Martha's objurgations. She believed in the most horrible and
desperate intentions, and sobbed herself into such violent hysterics
that Miss Mercy came in to assist--imagined that the rude boy had
terrified her, misunderstood her shamefaced attempts at explanation,
and left her lying on her bed, crying quietly over her secret terrors,
and over that first, strangely-made declaration of love. The white
dove! she did not deserve it, but it was so poetical! and poor Tom was
so unhappy! She had not time even to think what was become of her own
character for wisdom and prudence.

The next morning, between monition and triumph, Martha announced that
the good-for-nothing chap was off with a valuable parcel of Mr.
Calcott's, and the police were after him; with much more about his
former idle habits,--frequenting of democratic oratory, public-houses,
and fondness for bad company and strolling actors. Meek and easily
cowed, Charlotte only opened her lips to say she knew that he had taken
home Mr. Calcott's parcel. But this brought down a storm on her for
being impertinent enough to defend him, and she sat trembling till it
had subsided; and Martha retreating, left her to weep unrestrainedly
over her wild fancies, and the world's cruelty and injustice towards
one whom, as she was now ready to declare, she loved with her whole
heart.

The bell rang sharply, knocks rattled at the front door! She was sure
that Tom had been just taken out of the river! But instinct to answer
the bell awoke at the second furious clattering and double pealing,
which allowed no time for her to compose her tear-streaked, swollen
face, especially as the hasty sounds su