u might as well
charge me with kidnapping my own son, you foolish woman, who, you know,
I suppose, disappeared very soon after the other."

"I know he did," she replied; "but neither I nor any one else ever
charged you with that act; and I know there are a great many of opinion
that both acts were committed by some common enemy to your house, who
wished, for some unknown cause of hatred, to extinguish your whole
family. That is, indeed, the best defence you have for the disappearance
of your brother's son; but, mark me, Thomas Gourlay--that defence will
not pass with God, with me, nor with your own heart. I have my own
opinion upon that subject, as well as upon many others. You may ask your
own conscience, Thomas Gourlay, but he'll be a close friend of yours
that will ever hear its answer."

"And is this all you had to say to me, you ill-thinking old vermin." he
replied, again losing his temper.

"No," she answered, "I wish to tell your fortune; and you will do well
to listen to me."

"Well," said he, in a milder tone, putting at the same time the key of
Lucy's door again into his pocket, without being in the slightest degree
conscious of it, "if you are, I suppose I must cross your hand with
silver as usual; take this."

"No," she replied, drawing back with another ghastly smile, the meaning
of which was to him utterly undefinable, "from your hand nothing in the
shape of money will ever pass into mine; but listen"--she looked at him
for some moments, during which she paused, and then added--"I will not
do it, I am not able to render good for evil, yet; I will suffer you to
run your course. I am well aware that neither warning nor truth would
have any effect upon you, unless to enable you to prepare and sharpen
your plans with more ingenious villany. But you have a daughter; I will
speak to you about her."

"Do," said the baronet; "but why not take the silver?"

"You will know that one day before you die, too," said she, "and I don't
think it will smooth your death-bed pillow."

"Why, you are a very mysterious old lady."

"I'll now give you a proof of that. You locked in your daughter before
you left home."

Sir Thomas could not for his life prevent himself from starting so
visibly that she observed it at once.

"No such thing," he replied, affecting a composure which he certainly
did not feel; "you are an impostor, and I now see that you know
nothing."

"What I say is true," she replied, solemnly, "and