ar! but in its
wickedness heaven knows I had little will! I was deluded and disturbed;
facts were misrepresented to me, threats were made that could never have
been executed; my fears were excited for your life; my affections were
wrought upon; I was driven out of my senses even before I did consent to
be his nominal wife--the legal sumpter-mule to carry him an estate. I
promised nothing more, and I have kept all my promises. It is over! it
is over! it is done! and it cannot be undone! But I never--never will
forgive that man for the part he played in the drama!"

"_Ave Maria, Mater Dolorosa!_ Was ever a mother so sorrowful as I? Holy
saints and angels! how you shock me. Don't you know, wretched child,
that you are committing deadly sin? Don't you know, alas! the holy
church would refuse you its communion?"

"Let it! I will be excommunicated before I will give Dr. Grimshaw one
tolerant glance! I will risk the eternal rather than fall into the
nearer perdition!"

"Holy Mary save her! Don't you know, most miserable child! that such is
your condition, that if you were to die now your soul would go to
burning flames?"

"Ha! ha! Where do you think it is now, Mimmy?"

"You are mad! You don't know what you're talking about! And, alas! you
are half an infidel, I know, for you don't believe in hell!"

"Yes, I do, Mimmy! Oh! yes, indeed I do! If ever my faith was shaken
in that article of belief, it is firm enough now! It is more than
re-established, for, look you, Mimmy! I believe in heaven, but I know
of hell!"

"I'm very glad you do, my dear. And I hope you will meditate much upon
it, and it may lead you to change your course in regard to Dr. Grimshaw."

"Mimmy!" she said, with a wild laugh, "is there a deeper pit in
perdition than that to which you urge me now?"

* * * * *

Fortune certainly favored the lovers that day; for when Thurston reached
home in the evening, his grandfather said to him:

"Well, Mr. Jackanapes, since you are to sail from the port of Baltimore,
I think it altogether best that you should take a private conveyance,
and go by way of Washington."

"That will be a very lonesome manner of traveling, sir," answered the
young man, demurely.

"It will be a very cheap one, you mean, and, therefore, will not befit
you, Sir Millionaire! It will cost nothing, and, therefore, lose its
only charm for you, my Lord Spendthrift," cried the miser, sharply.

"On the contrary