ar the mode
in which she had learned my address was explained. She also spoke of
Sara as of one she knew by correspondence, and gave me to understand
how she was following every little humble incident of my daily life with
loving interest and affection. She enjoined me by all means to devote
myself heartily and wholly to those who had befriended me so generously,
and to merit the esteem of that good girl, who, caring nothing for
herself, gave her heart and soul to the service of her father.

"I have told you so much," said she, "of myself in former letters"
(these I never saw) "that I shall not weary you with more. You know why
I gave up the school, and through what reasonings I consented to call
myself Lady Norcott, though in such poverty as mine the assumption of a
title only provoked ridicule. Mr. McBride, however, persuaded me that a
voluntary surrender of my position might be made terrible use of against
me, should--what I cannot believe--the attempt ever be made to question
the legality of my marriage with your father.

"It has been so constantly repeated, however, that Sir Roger means to
marry this lady,--some say they are already married,--that I have had
careful abstracts made of the registry, and every detail duly certified
which can establish your legitimacy,--not that I can bring myself to
believe your father would ever raise that question. Strangely enough, my
allowance, left unpaid for several years, was lately resumed, and Foster
and Wall received orders to acknowledge my drafts on them, for what,
I concluded, were meant to cover all the arrears due. As I had already
tided over these years of trial and pressure, I refused all save the sum
due for the current year, and begged to learn Sir Roger's address that
I might write to him. To this they replied 'that they had no information
to give me on the subject; that their instructions, as regarded payments
to me, came to them from the house of Rodiger, in Frankfort, and in the
manner and terms already communicated to me,'--all showing me that the
whole was a matter of business, into which no sentiment was to enter, or
be deemed capable of entering."

It was about this period my mother came to learn my address, and she
avowed that all other thoughts and cares were speedily lost in the
whirlpool of joy these tidings swept around her. Her eagerness to see
me grew intense, but was tempered by the fear lest her selfish anxiety
might prejudice me in that esteem I