ings against my fate, and those who influence it.'

And conquering my agitation with a powerful effort, I immediately resumed
my task, and laboured hard all day.

Mr. Hargrave did depart on the morrow; and I have never seen him since.
The others stayed on for two or three weeks longer; but I kept aloof from
them as much as possible, and still continued my labour, and have
continued it, with almost unabated ardour, to the present day. I soon
acquainted Rachel with my design, confiding all my motives and intentions
to her ear, and, much to my agreeable surprise, found little difficulty
in persuading her to enter into my views. She is a sober, cautious
woman, but she so hates her master, and so loves her mistress and her
nursling, that after several ejaculations, a few faint objections, and
many tears and lamentations that I should be brought to such a pass, she
applauded my resolution and consented to aid me with all her might: on
one condition only: that she might share my exile: otherwise, she was
utterly inexorable, regarding it as perfect madness for me and Arthur to
go alone. With touching generosity, she modestly offered to aid me with
her little hoard of savings, hoping I would 'excuse her for the liberty,
but really, if I would do her the favour to accept it as a loan, she
would be very happy.' Of course I could not think of such a thing; but
now, thank heaven, I have gathered a little hoard of my own, and my
preparations are so far advanced that I am looking forward to a speedy
emancipation. Only let the stormy severity of this winter weather be
somewhat abated, and then, some morning, Mr. Huntingdon will come down to
a solitary breakfast-table, and perhaps be clamouring through the house
for his invisible wife and child, when they are some fifty miles on their
way to the Western world, or it may be more: for we shall leave him hours
before the dawn, and it is not probable he will discover the loss of both
until the day is far advanced.

I am fully alive to the evils that may and must result upon the step I am
about to take; but I never waver in my resolution, because I never forget
my son. It was only this morning, while I pursued my usual employment,
he was sitting at my feet, quietly playing with the shreds of canvas I
had thrown upon the carpet; but his mind was otherwise occupied, for, in
a while, he looked up wistfully in my face, and gravely asked,--'Mamma,
why are you wicked?'

'Who told you I wa