forgive."

'Lina was very much excited--so much indeed, that Alice could not talk
with her then; and for days this was the burden of her remarks. She
could not forgive Densie and Adah, and until she did, there was no use
for her or any one else to pray. But the prayers she could not say for
herself were said for her by others, while Alice omitted no proper
occasion for talking with her personally on the subject she felt to be
all-important. Nor were these efforts without their effect; the bitter
tone when speaking of Densie ceased at last, and Alice was one day
surprised at 'Lina's asking to see her, together with Mrs. Worthington.
Timidly, Densie approached the bed from which she had once been so
angrily dismissed. But there was nothing to fear now from the white,
wasted girl, whose large eyes fastened themselves a moment on the
wrinkled face; then with a shudder, closed tightly, while the lip
quivered with a grieved, suffering expression. She did not say to poor
old Densie that she acknowledged her as a mother, or that she felt for
her the slightest thrill of love. She was through with deception; and
when, at last, she spoke to the anxiously waiting woman, it was only to
say:

"I wanted to tell you that I have forgiven you; but I cannot call you
mother. You must not expect it. I know no mother but this one," and the
white hand reached itself toward Mrs. Worthington, who took it
unhesitatingly and held it between her own, while 'Lina continued: "I've
given you little cause to love me, and I know how glad you must be that
another, and not I, is your real daughter. I did not know what made me
so bad, but I understand it now. I saw myself so plainly in that man's
eyes; it was his nature in me which made me so hateful to Hugh. Oh,
Hugh! the memory of what I've been to him is the hardest part of all,"
and covering her face with the sheet, 'Lina wept bitterly; while Hugh,
who was standing behind her, laid his warm hand on her head, smoothing
her hair caressingly, as he said:

"Never mind that, 'Lina; I, too, was bad to you. If 'Lina can forgive
me, I surely can forgive 'Lina."

There was the sound of convulsive sobbing; and then, uncovering her
face, 'Lina raised herself up, and laying her hand on Hugh's bosom,
answered through her tears:

"I wish I had always felt as I do now. Hugh, you don't know how bad I've
been. Why, I used to be ashamed to call you brother, if any fine people
were near."

There was a sparkle of