aught but death
part him and me! But shall that make my mother think that her girl's
heart is turned away from her? Mamma, say that he is my husband.' The
frown came back, and the woman sat silent and sullen, but there was
something of vacillating indecision in her face. 'Mamma,' repeated
Hester, 'say that he is my husband.'

'I suppose so,' said the woman, very slowly.

'Mamma, say that it is so, and bless your child.'

'God bless you, my child.'

'And you know that it is so?'

'Yes.' The word was hardly spoken, but the lips of the one were close to
the ear of the other, and the sound was heard, and the assent was
acknowledged.

Chapter LXIV

Conclusion

The web of our story has now been woven, the piece is finished, and it
is only necessary that the loose threads should be collected, so that
there may be no unravelling. In such chronicles as this, something no
doubt might be left to the imagination without serious injury to the
story; but the reader, I think, feels a deficiency when, through tedium
or coldness, the writer omits to give all the information which he
possesses.

Among the male personages of my story, Bagwax should perhaps be allowed
to stand first. It was his energy and devotion to his peculiar duties
which, after the verdict, served to keep alive the idea that that
verdict had been unjust. It was through his ingenuity that Judge Bramber
was induced to refer the inquiry back to Scotland Yard, and in this way
to prevent the escape of Crinkett and Euphemia Smith. Therefore we will
first say a word as to Bagwax and his history.

It was rumoured at the time that Sir John Joram and Mr. Brown, having
met each other at the club after the order for Caldigate's release had
been given, and discussing the matter with great interest, united in
giving praise to Bagwax. Then Sir John told the story of those broken
hopes, of the man's desire to travel, and of the faith and honesty with
which he sacrificed his own aspirations for the good of the poor lady
whose husband had been so cruelly taken away from her. Then,--as it was
said at the time,--an important letter was sent from the Home Office to
the Postmaster-General, giving Mr. Bagwax much praise, and suggesting
that a very good thing would be done to the colony of New South Wales if
that ingenious and skilful master of postmarks could be sent out to
Sydney with the view of setting matters straight in the Sydney
office [1]. There was then muc