, and standing with her back to the
shut door turned and faced Mrs. Bertram.

"How did you guess my name?" she said, suddenly.

"That was not so difficult. I recognized you by the description my
daughter gave of you. She saw you, remember, that night you hid in the
avenue."

"I did not know it was that," said Josephine softly; "I thought it was
the likeness. I am the image of _him_, am I not?"

She took a small morocco case out of her pocket and proceeded to open
it.

Mrs. Bertram put her hand up to her eyes as if she would shut away a
terrible sight.

"Hush, child! how dare you? Don't show me that picture. I won't look.
What a wicked impostor you are!"

"Impostor! You know better, and my grandfather knows better. What is the
matter, Mrs. Bertram?"

Mrs. Bertram sank down into the chair which at first she had obstinately
refused.

"Josephine," she said, "I am no longer a young woman; I have not got the
strength of youth. I cannot bear up as the young can bear up. Why have
you come here? What object have you in torturing me with your presence
here?"

"I won't torture you; I shall live quietly."

"But why have you come? You had no right to come."

"I had perfect right to live where I pleased. I had all the world to
choose from, and I selected to live at your gates."

"You did very wrong. Wrong! It is unpardonable."

"Why so? What injury am I doing you? I have promised to be silent; I
will be silent for a little. I won't injure you or yours by word or
deed."

"You have a story in your head, a false story; you will spread it
abroad."

"I have a story, but it is not false."

"False or true, you will spread it abroad."

"No, the story is safe. For the present it is safe, my lips are sealed."

"Josephine, I wish you would go away."

"I am sorry, I cannot go away."

"We cannot associate with you. You are not brought up like us. You will
be lonely here, you will find it very dull, you had better go away."

"I am not going away. I have come here and I mean to stay. I shall watch
you, and your son, and your daughters; that will be my amusement."

"I won't say any more to you, proud and insolent girl. My son, at least,
is spared your scrutiny, he is not at Rosendale; and my daughters, I
think, they can live through it."

Mrs. Bertram turned and left the little parlor. She gave her note to
Mrs. Tester, desired it to be taken at once to the Gray House, and then
returned quietly and steadily to the Man