AND BRUNO.

"'Will you walk into my parlour?' said the spider to the fly;
''Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy.
The way into the parlour is up a winding stair,
And I have many curious things to show when you are there.'"

MARY HOWITT.

"An' where may you an' little missy be goin' at this time o' the
evenin'?" asked Thieving Joe, in a voice which he intended should be
pleasant and reassuring; for now that he had come close to the
children--looked in Joan's face, and witnessed Darby's brave, proud
bearing--he knew Moll was right: that these were no common brats, as he
had called them, no rustics running wild from morn till night, but
_somebody's_ little ones, gently born undoubtedly, carefully reared
unmistakably.

At the first blush of this discovery Mr. Harris felt that perhaps he had
been a trifle rash--that it might have been wiser to give more heed to
his wife's advice; but since he had got his captives secure at last, he
was not going to be such a fool as to set them free after waiting and
watching so long for a similar opportunity. He would safeguard himself
as cunningly as possible against the chances of being detected in his
crime, and that was all Joe Harris possessed in the way of a conscience;
that was what constituted the chief difference to him between right and
wrong--the cowardly yet restraining fear of being found out. Then, if
the worst did come to the worst, he would swear that he had not stolen
the children, but had accidentally come upon them wandering about at
nightfall alone, and out of charity took them temporarily under his
protection. Their friends would be deeply grateful, and doubtless reward
him handsomely, so that he should be none the poorer, no matter which
way the little enterprise turned out.

He judged correctly that Darby would be more easily led than driven, and
he did not want to frighten him, not just at first--that would be time
enough afterwards, or if he turned rusty--so he spoke to the little lad
as smoothly as he knew how. But genuine gentle speech cannot be assumed
at will. It is not a mannerism merely put on, but an outcome of kindly
acts and pure thoughts; and Darby was quick to detect the false quality
in Joe's tones as he repeated his question,--

"Come now, won't you tell me, an' this nice lady here, where the pair o'
ye was bound for so late in the day?"

For a moment the boy hesitated, l