l reform to give away
indiscriminately and without thought; but where her sense of justice was
really satisfied, she could give with a royal hand, and there were many
poor whom Ward, her maid, knew, who, rising up, called Miss Harman
blessed.

Charlotte had taken a great interest in Mrs. Home. Her face attracted,
her manner won, before ever her story touched the heart of this young
woman. The greatest pain Charlotte had ever gone through in her life had
followed the recital of Mrs. Home's tale, a terrible foreboding the
awful shadow which points to wrong done, to sin committed by her best
and dearest, had come near and touched her. Uncle Jasper, with his
clever and experienced hand, had driven that shadow away, and in her
first feeling of intense thankfulness and relief, she had almost
disliked the woman who had come to her with so cruel a tale. All
yesterday, in the midst of her own happiness, she had endeavored to shut
Mrs. Home from her thoughts; but this morning, more calm herself, the
remembrance of the poor, pale, and struggling mother rose up again fresh
and vivid within her heart. It is true Mrs. Home believed a lie, a cruel
and dreadful lie; but none the less for this was she to be pitied, none
the less for this must she be helped. Mrs. Home was Charlotte's near
relation, she could not suffer her to want. As she lay in bed, she
reflected with great thankfulness that John Hinton had said, on hearing
the tale, how manifestly it would be his and her duty to help this poor
mother. Yes, by and by they would give her enough to raise her above all
want, but Charlotte felt she could not wait for that distant time. She
must succor Mrs. Home at once. Her father had said last night that, if
she married in two months, there would be no time for her to finish her
book. He was right; she must give up the book; she would devote this
morning to Mrs. Home.

She rose with her determination formed and went downstairs. As usual her
father was waiting for her, as usual he came up and kissed her; and as
they had done every morning for so many years, they sat down opposite
each other to breakfast. Charlotte longed to speak to her father about
Mrs. Home, but he looked, even to her inexperienced eyes, very ill and
haggard, and she remembered her uncle's words and refrained from the
subject.

"You seem so feeble, father, had you not better go into town in the
carriage this morning?" she asked, as he rose from his chair.

To her sur