being remarked, she gave no sign of her
knowledge. She performed her duties faithfully and silently, she gave no
trouble, and showed a gentle subservience and humbleness towards the
white servants which won immense approbation. Her manner towards Mrs.
Cupp's self was marked indeed by something like a tinge of awed
deference, which, it must be confessed, mollified the good woman, and
awakened in her a desire to be just and lenient even to the dark of skin
and alien of birth.

"She knows her betters when she sees them, and has pretty enough manners
for a black," the object of her respectful obeisances remarked. "I
wonder if she's ever heard of her Maker, and if a little brown Testament
with good print wouldn't be a good thing to give her?"

This boon was, in fact, bestowed upon her as a gift. Mrs. Cupp bought it
for a shilling at a small shop in the village. Ameerah, in whose dusky
being was incorporated the occult faith of lost centuries, and whose
gods had been gods through mystic ages, received the fat, little brown
book with down-dropped lids and grateful obeisance. These were her words
to her mistress:

"The fat old woman with protruding eyes bestowed it upon me. She says it
is the book of her god. She has but one. She wishes me to worship him.
Am I a babe to worship such a god as would please her. She is old, and
has lost her mind."

Lady Walderhurst's health continued all that could be desired. She arose
smiling in the morning, and bore her smile about with her all day. She
walked much in the gardens, and spent long, happy hours sewing in her
favourite sitting-room. Work which she might have paid other women to
do, she did with her own hands for the mere sentimental bliss of it.
Sometimes she sat with Hester and sewed, and Hester lay on a sofa and
stared at her moving hands.

"You know how to do it, don't you?" she once said.

"I was obliged to sew for myself when I was so poor, and this is
delightful," was Emily's answer.

"But you could buy it all and save yourself the trouble."

Emily stroked her bit of cambric and looked awkward.

"I'd rather not," she said.

Well as she was, she began to think she did not sleep quite so soundly
as had been habitual with her. She started up in bed now and again as if
she had been disturbed by some noise, but when she waited and listened
she heard nothing. At least this happened on two or three occasions. And
then one night, having been lying folded in profound, swee