A DREAM

Very little sleep came to Mrs. Hampton that night. The disturbing
events of the day still agitated her mind, giving her much anxiety.
Grimsby's visit was the principal cause, for she felt that she could
not trust the man, notwithstanding the money he had received and his
promise of secrecy. Was her child alive? she asked herself over and
over again. Her heart called out for even the slightest knowledge of
the one she had bartered for money. Money! The thought stung and
almost maddened her. She had given her own flesh and blood for money,
and her punishment was rapidly increasing upon her. Her sin had
followed her through the years, and had now suddenly enmeshed her. The
steady tick of the clock seemed like an accusing voice to her hot
brain, and the gentle motion of the blind at the open window annoyed
her. She fancied it knew of her guilt and was mocking her. She was
learning, as others have learned, that to the conscience-stricken heart
and mind all things, even the inanimate, are banded together in a
conspiracy of mockery and revenge.

She wondered, too, about John's strange behaviour. What was his
special call to the quarry, and what was the secret he was keeping from
her? He had never acted in such a manner before, and he only stayed
from home at night on an occasional visit to the city. Had he fallen
in with evil companions? She banished this idea, however, when she
recalled how he had told her that he had a surprise in store for her,
and that it was a pleasant one. Try as she might, she could not
imagine what that might be, for the thought of a woman never once
entered her mind. Not for an instant could she imagine John being in
love, so engrossed was he with the affairs of the farm and the mine.

Although the night was long, she dreaded the coming of a new day. In
some way she had to get the money to pay that bill, and where was it to
come from? All the money, except a few dollars in the bank, had been
withdrawn to pay for the car. It had been an expensive luxury, she was
well aware, but John had set his mind upon it, and she had not the
heart to oppose his wish. Hitherto the car had cost but little apart
from the running expenses. In case anything did happen they had the
one hundred dollars for immediate use. Now that was gone, and Mrs.
Hampton had no idea how it was to be replaced. She must raise the
amount some way, or else invent some plausible excuse as to what she
had do