went and reached a cracked tea-pot from the
top shelf of the dresser, took from it six dollars and a half, which was
all her fortune, and came and put it in the hand of the nurse, saying:

"Here! take this as your fee for your last night's work and go, and
never let me see your face again if you can help it."

"Now, Hannah Worth, don't you be unreasonable--now, don't ye; drat the
money, child; I can live without it, I reckon; though I can't live
without my character and my perfession; here, take it, child--you may
want it bad afore all's done; and I'm sure I would stay and take care of
the poor gal if I dared; but now you know yourself, Hannah, that if I
was to do so, I should be a ruinated old 'oman; for there ain't a
respectable lady in the world as would ever employ me again."

"But I tell you that Nora is as innocent as her own babe; and her
character shall be cleared before the day is out!" exclaimed Hannah,
tears of rage and shame welling to her eyes.

"Yes, honey, I dessay; and when it's done I'll come back and nuss
her--for nothing, too," replied the old woman dryly, as she put on her
bonnet and shawl.

This done she returned to the side of Hannah.

"Now, you know I have told you everything what to do for Nora; and
by-and-by, I suppose, old Dinah will come, as old Jovial promised; and
maybe she'll stay and 'tend to the gal and the child; 'twon't hurt her,
you know, 'cause niggers aint mostly got much character to lose. There,
child, take up your money; I wouldn't take it from you, no more'n I'd
pick a pocket. Good-by."

Hannah would have thrown the money after the dame as she left the hut,
but that Nora's dulcet tones recalled her:

"Hannah, don't!"

She hurried to the patient's bedside; there was another rising of the
waves of life; Nora's face, so dark and rigid a moment before, was now
again soft and luminous.

"What is it, sister?" inquired Hannah, bending over her.

"Don't be angry with her, dear; she did all she could for us, you know,
without injuring herself--and we had no right to expect that."

"But--her cruel words!"

"Dear Hannah, never mind; when you are hurt by such, remember our
Saviour; think of the indignities that were heaped upon the Son of God;
and how meekly he bore them, and how freely he forgave them."

"Nora, dear, you do not talk like yourself."

"Because I am dying, Hannah. My boy came in with the rising sun, and I
shall go out with its setting."

"No, no, my darling