, who was sitting down to wait the result of the
fortune-teller's predictions. Her daughter lay moaning on a bedstead
spread with shavings only, and she had no covering whatever but a
blanket worn into a large hole in the middle. The poor woman's long
hair, unconfined by any cap, strayed about her bare and emaciated
shoulders, and her shrunken bands picked at the blanket incessantly,
everything appearing to her diseased vision covered with black spots.
Never before had so squalid an object met Margaret's eyes. The husband
sat by the empty grate, stooping and shrinking, and looking at the floor
with an idiotic expression of countenance, as appeared through the
handkerchief which was tied over his head. He was just sinking into the
fever. His boy lay on a heap of rags in the corner, his head also tied
up, but the handkerchief stiff with the black blood which was still
oozing from his nose, ears, and mouth. It was inconceivable to Margaret
that her brother, with Mr Grey's money in his pocket, could have left
the family in this state. He had not. There were cinders in the hearth
which showed that there had been a fire; and the old woman acknowledged
that a pair of sheets and a rug had been pawned to the fortune-teller in
the lane since the morning. There had been food; but nobody had any
appetite but herself, and she had eaten it up. The fortune-teller had
charmed the pail of fresh water that stood under the bed, and had
promised a new spell in the morning.

In a case of such extremity, Margaret had no fears. She set forth alone
for the fortune-teller's, not far off, and redeemed the sheets and
blanket, which were quite clean. As she went, she was sorry she had
dismissed Dr Levitt so soon. As a magistrate, he could have
immediately compelled the restoration of the bedding. The use of his
name, however, answered the purpose, and the conjurer even offered to
carry the articles for her to Platt's house. She so earnestly desired
to keep him and her charge apart, that she preferred loading herself
with the package. Then the shavings were found to be in such a state
that every shred of them must be removed before the sick man could be
allowed to lie down. No time was to be lost. In the face of the old
woman's protestations that her daughter should not stir, Margaret spread
the bedding on the floor, wrapped the sick woman in a sheet, and laid
her upon it, finding the poor creature so light from emaciation that she