ous illness completely prostrated her. Skilled medical
attendance, costing large sums of money for the doctors' traveling
expenses, was imperatively required. Experienced nurses, summoned from a
distant hospital, were in attendance night and day. Luxuries, far beyond
the reach of her little income, were absolutely required to support her
wasted strength at the time of her tedious recovery. In one word, her
resources were sadly diminished, when the poor creature had paid her
debts, and had regained her hold on life. At that time, she unhappily
met with the man who has ruined her."

It was getting interesting at last. "Ruined her?" I repeated. "Do you
mean that he robbed her?"

"That, Helena, is exactly what I mean--and many and many a helpless
woman has been robbed in the same way. The man of whom I am now speaking
was a lawyer in large practice. He bore an excellent character, and
was highly respected for his exemplary life. My cousin (not at all a
discreet person, I am bound to admit) was induced to consult him on her
pecuniary affairs. He expressed the most generous sympathy--offered to
employ her little capital in his business--and pledged himself to pay
her double the interest for her money, which she had been in the habit
of receiving from the sound investment chosen by her father."

"And of course he got the money, and never paid the interest?" Eager to
hear the end, I interrupted the story in those inconsiderate words. My
father's answer quietly reproved me.

"He paid the interest regularly as long as he lived."

"And what happened when he died?"

"He died a bankrupt; the secret profligacy of his life was at last
exposed. Nothing, actually nothing, was left for his creditors. The
unfortunate creature, whose ugly name has amused you, must get help
somewhere, or must go to the workhouse."

If I had been in a state of mind to attend to trifles, this would have
explained the reason why the cook had heard Miss Jillgall crying. But
the prospect before me--the unendurable prospect of having a strange
woman in the house--had showed itself too plainly to be mistaken.
I could think of nothing else. With infinite difficulty I assumed a
momentary appearance of composure, and suggested that Miss Jillgall's
foreign friends might have done something to help her.

My father defended her foreign friends. "My dear, they were poor people,
and did all they could afford to do. But for their kindness, my cousin
might not have