de the bed and prayed. When
she said amen, Jane Field called out her confession as if in the ear
of God. They sent for the doctor and he gave her a soothing draught,
and she slept. The women watched with her, as ever and anon she
stirred and murmured in her sleep, "I ain't Esther Maxwell." And she
said it when she first awoke in the morning.

"She's sayin' it now," whispered Mrs. Babcock to Mrs. Green, "and I
believe she'll say it her whole life."

And Jane Field did. The stern will of the New England woman had
warped her whole nature into one groove. Gradually she seemed more
like herself, and her mind was in other respects apparently clear,
but never did she meet a stranger unless she said for greeting, "I
ain't Esther Maxwell."

And she said it to her own daughter on her wedding-day, when she came
in her white dress from the minister's with Francis. The new joy in
Lois's face affected her like the face of a stranger, and she turned
on her and said, "I ain't Esther Maxwell."

THE END

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