reatures he had sheltered
under his roof had hatched this conspiracy against his peace.

'You can leave me now,' he continued harshly, turning to Leah. 'I will
not trust myself to say more to you. If you receive mercy and not justice
at my hands, it is because your confederate is even more guilty than you.
I cannot spare the one without letting the other go unpunished. To-morrow
morning, before the household is up, you and everything belonging to you
shall leave this house. If you ever set foot in Heathfield again it will
be at your own peril. Go up to your own room now and pack your boxes; I
shall take the precaution of turning the key in your door to prevent your
holding communication with any member of my household.'

'I give you my word, sir--' began Leah, turning visibly pale at the idea
of finding herself a prisoner.

'Your word!' was the disdainful reply; and then he pointed to the door.
'Go at once!' But she still lingered. There was a spark of good even in
this woman. She was unwilling to quit our presence without knowing what
was to become of her mistress.

'You will not be hard on Miss Etta, sir? She has done wrong, but she is
a poor creature, and--' But Mr. Hamilton walked to the door and threw it
open with a gesture that compelled obedience.

The next moment, however, he recoiled with a low exclamation of horror;
for there, drawn up against the wall, in a strange half-crouching
attitude, as though petrified with terror, was his miserable cousin.

I heard Leah's shocked 'Miss Etta! How could you be so mad?' And then Mr.
Hamilton put out his hand, as though to forbid approach; but with a cry
of despair Miss Darrell seemed to sink to the ground, and held him
convulsively round the knees, so that he could not free himself.

'Get up, Etta!' he said indignantly. 'It is not to me you have to kneel';
for he thought her attitude one of supplication. But I knew better. She
had not strength to stand or support herself, and I passed behind him
quickly and went to her help.

'You cannot speak to him like that, Miss Darrell. He will not hear you.'
But, though Leah assisted me, we had some difficulty in inducing her to
relax her frantic grip. And even when we placed her in a chair she seemed
as though she would sink again on the ground. She was trembling all over,
her teeth chattering; the muscles of her face worked convulsively.

'Giles, Giles,' she screamed, as he seemed about to leave her, 'you may
kill me if