d, awed. 'Think of the exposure and of mother!'

'I can think of nothing but saving Mite! I say--my mother knows nothing
of this?'

'Oh no, no!'

Herbert breathed more freely, but he was firm, and seemed suddenly to
have grown out of boyishness into manly determination, and gradually he
extracted the whole story from her. He would not listen to the delusion
in which she had worked herself into believing, founded upon the
negations for which she had sedulously avoided seeking positive
refutation, and which had been bolstered up by her imagination and
wishes, working on the unsubstantial precedents of novels. She had
brought herself absolutely to believe in the imposture, and at a moment
when her uncle's condition seemed absolutely to place within her grasp
the coronet for Herbert, with all possibilities for herself.

Then came the idea of Louisa Hall, inspired by seeing her speak to little
Michael on the beach, and obtain his pretty smiles and exclamation of
'Lou, Lou! mine Lou!' for he had certainly liked this girl better than
Ellen, who was wanting in life and animation. Ida knew that Sam Jones,
alias Rattler, was going out to join his brother in Canada, and that
Louisa was vehemently desirous to accompany him, but had failed to
satisfy the requirements of Government as to character, so as to obtain a
free passage, and was therefore about to be left behind in desertion and
distress. She might beguile Michael away quietly and carry him to
Canada, where, as it seemed, there were any amount of farmers ready to
adopt English children--a much better lot, in Ida's eyes, than the little
Tyrolese impostor deserved. She even persuaded herself that she was
doing an act of great goodness, when, at the price of her teapot, she
obtained that Louisa should be married by the registrar to Sam Jones, and
their passage paid, on condition of their carrying away Michael with
them. The man was nothing loth, having really a certain preference for
Louisa, and likewise a grudge against Lord Northmoor for having spoilt
that game with Miss Morton, which might have brought the means for the
voyage.

They were married on Whit Monday, and Ida was warned that if she and
Louisa could not get possession of the child by Wednesday, he would be
left behind. Louisa was accordingly on the watch, and Ida hovered about,
just enough completely to put the nurses off their guard. They heard
Michael's imploring call of 'Willie! Willie!' and then