e course of his narrative Mr. Raby spoke very highly of Jael Dence,
and of her conduct in the matter.

To this Grace did not respond. She waited her opportunity, and said,
keenly and coldly, "How did she come to be in your house?"

"Well, that is a secret."

"Can you not trust me with a secret?"

"Oh yes," said Raby, "provided you will promise faithfully to tell no
one."

Grace promised, and he then told her that Jael Dence, in a moment of
desperation, had thrown herself into the river at the back of his house.
"Poor girl!" said he, "her brain was not right at the time. Heaven
keep us all from those moments of despair. She has got over it now, and
nurses and watches my poor sister more like a mother watching her child
than a young woman taking care of an old one. She is the mainspring of
the house."

At all this Grace turned from pale to white, but said nothing; and Raby
ran on in praise of Jael, little dreaming what pain his words inflicted.

When he left her, she rose and walked down to the sea; for her tortured
spirit gave her body energy. Hitherto she found she had only suspected;
now she was sure. Hitherto she had feared Henry Little had loved Jael
Dence a little; now she was sure he had loved her best. Jael Dence would
not have attempted self-destruction for any man unless he loved her. The
very act proved her claim to him more eloquently than words could do.
Now she believed all--the anonymous letter--Mr. Coventry's report--the
woman's words who worked in the same factory, and could not be deceived.
And her godfather accepted Jael Dence and her claim to sympathy: she was
taken into his house, and set to nurse Henry Little's mother: poor Grace
was slighted on all sides; she must not even write to Mrs. Little, nor
take part in the pious falsehood they were concocting together, Raby and
his Jael Dence, whom everybody loved best--everybody except this poor
faithful ill-used wretch, Frederick Coventry; and him she hated for
loving her better than the man she loved had loved her.

Tender, but very proud, this sensitive creature saw herself dethroned
from her love. Jael Dence had eclipsed her in every way; had saved his
life with her strong arm, had almost perished with him; and had tried
to kill herself when he was dead. SHE was far behind this rival in every
thing. She had only loved, and suffered, and nearly died. "No, no," she
said to herself, "she could not love him better than I did: but HE loved
HER best