could propose that Effie should rescue him at the risk of her mother's
livelihood. Oh, what did it mean? How was she to bear it?--how could she
bear it? She clasped her hands, tears filled her eyes, but she was too
oppressed, too pained, too stunned to weep long. Presently she went into
the house, and lay down on her bed without undressing.

During the whole of that terrible night Effie scarcely slept. It was the
worst night in all her life. Toward morning she dozed a little, but
sprang up with a start, fearing that George had gone to London without
seeing her. For her mother's sake she must see him. Whatever happened,
her mother must never know of this calamity. Effie got up, washed her
hands and face, smoothed out her hair, and went downstairs. George was
already up, he was standing in the little parlor. He turned round when
he heard his sister's footsteps, and looked anxiously at her.

"What a brute I am!" he said, when he saw the expression on her face;
"but I swear before God, Effie, if you will help me, I'll turn over a
new leaf; I'll never do a wrong thing again as long as I live--I swear
it."

"Don't swear it," said Effie; "it seems to make it worse to do that. If
you did wrong once, you may again. Don't swear. Ask God to help you. I
don't know that I have been praying all night, but I have been trying
to."

"Well, Effie, what have you determined to do?" he asked.

"Is there no one else who can help you, George?"

"Not a soul; I have only one friend, and that is Fred Lawson."

"Oh, yes! I remember you spoke of him last night. Would he help you?"

"He help me!" said George, with a hysterical laugh. "Why, he is the chap
I have wronged. There, don't ask me any more. If you can help me, I am
saved; if you can't, say so, and I'll go straight to destruction."

"No, you shan't do that, George. I have thought of something--nothing
may come of it, but I'm going to try. It is terribly repugnant to me,
but I would sacrifice much to save my mother. If it fails, all fails."

"I have thought," said George eagerly, "that, as the case is such an
extreme one, we might take some of the capital. There is a thousand
pounds; a quarter of that sum would put me right."

"It cannot be done for a moment," said Effie, her face flushing hotly.
"That money must under no circumstances be touched; my mother and the
children depend on it for their bread."

"I don't know what is to be done, then," said George in a hopeless
voice