gs go on in that
way, Maria and Zoe will be left wretchedly provided for, in comparison
with Lady Northlake's daughters. A fine large fortune would wonderfully
improve these doubtful prospects--can you guess, Carmina, where it is
to come from?' I could easily guess, now I understood the Will. My good
Teresa, if I die without leaving children, the fine large fortune comes
from Me.

"You see it all now--don't you? After I had thanked Miss Minerva, turned
away my head on the pillow overpowered by disgust.

"The clock in the hall struck the hour of the children's tea. Miss
Minerva would be wanted immediately. At parting, she kissed me. 'There
is the kiss that you meant to give me last night,' she said. 'Don't
despair of yourself. I am to be in the house for a month longer; and I
am a match for Mrs. Gallilee. We will say no more now. Compose yourself,
and try to sleep.'

"She went away to her duties. Sleep was out of the question. My
attention wandered when I tried to read. Doing nothing meant, in other
words, thinking of what had happened. If you had come into my room, I
should have told you all about it. The next best thing was to talk to
you in this way. You don't know what a relief it has been to me to write
these lines."

"The night has come, and Mrs. Gallilee's cruelty has at last proved too
much even for my endurance.

"Try not to be surprised; try not to be alarmed. If my mind to-morrow is
the same as my mind to-night, I shall attempt to make my escape. I shall
take refuge with Lady Northlake.

"Oh, if I could go to Ovid! But he is travelling in the deserts of
Canada. Until his return to the coast, I can only write to him to the
care of his bankers at Quebec. I should not know where to find him, when
I arrived; and what a dreadful meeting--if I did find him--to be obliged
to acknowledge that it is his mother who has driven me away! There will
be nothing to alarm him, if I go to his mother's sister. If you could
see Lady Northlake, you would feel as sure as I do that she will take my
part.

"After writing to you, I must have fallen asleep. It was quite dark,
when I was awakened by the striking of a match in my room. I looked
round, expecting to see Miss Minerva. The person lighting my candle was
Mrs. Gallilee.

"She poured out the composing medicine which Mr. Null had ordered for
me. I took it in silence. She sat down by the bedside.

"'My child,' she began, 'we are friends again now. You bear no malice,