was now lying over upon the bed, and the letter was on the pillow, as
she propped herself upon her arm. Her tears were running, and ever
and again she would stop to dry her eyes. Her sobs, too, were very
audible, but she went on steadily with her reading till she came to
the line on which Crosbie told that he had already engaged himself to
another woman. Then her mother could see that she paused suddenly,
and that a shudder slightly convulsed all her limbs.

"He has been very quick," she said, almost in a whisper; and then she
finished the letter. "Tell him, mamma," she said, "that I do forgive
him, and I will not hate him. You will tell him that,--from me; will
you not?" And then she raised herself from the bed.

Mrs Dale would give her no such assurance. In her present mood her
feelings against Crosbie were of a nature which she herself hardly
could understand or analyse. She felt that if he were present she
could almost fly at him as would a tigress. She had never hated
before as she now hated this man. He was to her a murderer, and worse
than a murderer. He had made his way like a wolf into her little
fold, and torn her ewe-lamb and left her maimed and mutilated for
life. How could a mother forgive such an offence as that, or consent
to be the medium through which forgiveness should be expressed?

"You must, mamma; or, if you do not, I shall do so. Remember that I
love him. You know what it is to have loved one single man. He has
made me very unhappy; I hardly know yet how unhappy. But I have loved
him, and do love him. I believe, in my heart, that he still loves me.
Where this has been there must not be hatred and unforgiveness."

"I will pray that I may become able to forgive him," said Mrs Dale.

"But you must write to him those words. Indeed you must, mamma! 'She
bids me tell you that she has forgiven you, and will not hate you.'
Promise me that!"

"I can make no promise now, Lily. I will think about it, and
endeavour to do my duty."

Lily was now seated, and was holding the skirt of her mother's dress.

"Mamma," she said, looking up into her mother's face, "you must be
very good to me now; and I must be very good to you. We shall be
always together now. I must be your friend and counsellor; and be
everything to you, more than ever. I must fall in love with you now;"
and she smiled again, and the tears were almost dry upon her cheeks.

At last they went down to the breakfast-room, from which Bell had n