h an irresolute air, then bent over the
child and examined her more carefully. She could feel no pulse beat, nor
any motion of the heart,

"I don't want the coroner here," she said, in a tone of annoyance. "Take
her back to Flanagan; it's her work, and she must stand by it."

"Is she really dead?" asked Pinky.

"Looks like it, and serves Flanagan right. I've told her over and over
that Nell wouldn't stand it long if she didn't ease up a little. Flesh
isn't iron."

Again she examined the child carefully, but without the slightest sign
of feeling.

"It's all the same now who has her," she said, turning off from the
settee. "Take her back to Flanagan."

But Pinky would not touch the child, nor could threat or persuasion
lead her to do so. While they were contending, Flanagan, who had fired
herself up with half a pint of whisky, came storming through the door in
a blind rage and screaming out,

"Where's my Nell? I want my Nell!"

Catching sight of the child's inanimate form lying on the settee, she
pounced down upon it like some foul bird and bore it off, cursing and
striking the senseless clay in her insane fury.

Pinky, horrified at the dreadful sight, and not sure that the child was
really dead, and so insensible to pain, made a movement to follow, but
Norah caught her arm with a tight grip and held her back.

"Are you a fool?" said the queen, sternly. "Let Flanagan alone. Nell's
out of her reach, and I'm glad of it."

"If I was only sure!" exclaimed Pinky.

"You may be. I know death--I've seen it often enough. They'll have the
coroner over there in the morning. It's Flanagan's concern, not yours or
mine, so keep out of it if you know when you're well off."

"I'll appear against her at the inquest," said Pinky.

"You'll do no such thing. Keep your tongue behind your teeth. It's time
enough to show it when it's pulled out. Take my advice, and mind your
own business. You'll have enough to do caring for your own head, without
looking after other people's."

"I'm not one of that kind," answered Pinky, a little tartly; "and if
there's any way to keep Flanagan from murdering another child, I'm going
to find it out."

"You'll find out something else first," said Norah, with a slight curl
of her lip.

"What?"

"The way to prison."

"Pshaw! I'm not afraid."

"You'd better be. If you appear against Flanagan, she'll have you caged
before to-morrow night."

"How can she do it?"

"Swear against you befo