God's name, just this one night; tomorrow, if need be, you can do
anything--kill us all if you will, or show yourself a great, grand
man, whom God will bless for ever and ever. Come, Mr Frank, the look
of a sleeping child is sure to give peace.'

She led him upstairs; at first almost helping his steps, till they
came near the nursery door. She had wellnigh forgotten the existence
of little Edwin. It struck upon her with affright as the shaded light
fell over the other cot; but she skilfully threw that corner of the
room into darkness, and let the light fall on the sleeping Ailsie.
The child had thrown down the coverings, and her deformity, as she
lay with her back to them, was plainly visible through her slight
nightgown. Her little face, deprived of the lustre of her eyes, looked
wan and pinched, and had a pathetic expression in it, even as she
slept. The poor father looked and looked with hungry, wistful eyes,
into which the big tears came swelling up slowly and dropped heavily
down, as he stood trembling and shaking all over. Norah was angry
with herself for growing impatient of the length of time that long
lingering gaze lasted. She thought that she waited for full half an
hour before Frank stirred. And then--instead of going away--he sank
down on his knees by the bedside, and buried his face in the clothes.
Little Ailsie stirred uneasily. Norah pulled him up in terror. She
could afford no more time, even for prayer, in her extremity of fear;
for surely the next moment would bring her mistress home. She took
him forcibly by the arm; but, as he was going, his eye lighted on the
other bed; he stopped. Intelligence came back into his face. His hands
clenched.

'His child?' he asked.

'Her child,' replied Norah. 'God watches over him,' she said
instinctively; for Frank's looks excited her fears, and she needed to
remind herself of the Protector of the helpless.

'God has not watched over me,' he said, in despair; his thoughts
apparently recoiling on his own desolate, deserted state. But Norah
had no time for pity. Tomorrow she would be as compassionate as her
heart prompted. At length she guided him downstairs, and shut the
outer door, and bolted it--as if by bolts to keep out facts.

Then she went back into the dining-room, and effaced all traces of his
presence, as far as she could. She went upstairs to the nursery and
sat there, her head on her hand, thinking what was to come of all
this misery. It seemed to h