eep up; and now poor Thomas was gone, there was really
no occasion for Wood End Cottage to be on his hands. Gabrielle must find
a home in some farm-house."

All this came about in a few months, from one thing to another; and the
young widow, who had been ever hated as a wife, was grudged her daily
support by her deceased husband's family. "Give up her child?" Gabrielle
only laughed when they spoke of that; but her laugh rings in my ears
yet! though it was as soft and musical as the old church bells.

We left Wood End Cottage, and found refuge in a retired farm-house, as
Mr. Erminstoun proposed; but we were together: and there were many who
cried "shame" on the rich banker, for thus casting off his
daughter-in-law and his grandchild. Small was the pittance he allowed
for our subsistence; and the Misses Erminstoun never noticed Gabrielle
on her refusal to part with the child. "She was not fit," they bruited
about, "to bring up their poor brother's daughter. She was ignorant,
uneducated, and unamiable, besides being basely ungrateful for kindness
lavished; she had a cold heart and repellant manner, which had steeled
their sympathies toward her." They thought themselves ill-used at
Erminstoun Hall; and the five Misses Erminstoun regarded Gabrielle and
her poor little daughter as mere interlopers, who were robbing them of
their father's money.

Well might Gabrielle say--"I have changed one bondage for another!" but
I never heard her repeat that now. She was silent, even to me. No murmur
escaped her lips; and what she felt or suffered I knew not. Little Ella
was a pale flower, like her mother; but as similar to the parent rose as
an opening rosebud.

"What could I do?" were the words I was continually repeating to myself.
"I must not be an added burden to Mr. Erminstoun. I have already
profited by my sister's union with his son, by having gratefully
received instruction in various branches of learning, and can I not do
something for myself?" What this _something_ was to be, I could not
define. My lameness precluded active employment, and I was too young to
become a "companion." I confided my thoughts and wishes to Mr. Dacre,
who often visited us, speaking words of balm and consolation to the
afflicted. Gabrielle listened to his words, as she never had done to
mine; and he could reprove, admonish, exhort, or cheer, when all human
hope seemed deserting us. For where were we to look for a shelter,
should it please Mr. Ermins