s. The lady entered one, leading Emma by the hand.

"Give us one half-pound of assorted candy," she said.

The girl behind the counter weighed out the candy and handed it to her.

They left the shop.

"Now are we going back to Ben?" asked Emma.

"I have sent word to him to come to my house and take supper, my
dear child. Come with me, and you will see him soon."

How should Emma know that this was not true? She was a little girl,
with no experience of the world, accustomed to put confidence in
those she met, and the lady was very kind in her manner.

"Is your home far off?" she asked.

"No, it is quite near."

This proved to be true.

The lady turned up a street lined with neat dwellings and rang the bell.

A servant answered the bell.

"Is it you, mum?" she said.

"Yes, Jane."

Jan looked inquiringly at the little girl, and was on the point of asking
who she was; but she knew her mistress was peculiar and said nothing.

"This little girl will stay to tea," said the lady. "Put on an extra
plate."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And isn't Ben coming, too?" asked Emma, noting the omission.

"Yes, Jan, you may put on two extra plates."

Emma followed her new acquaintance up-stairs, and was led into a
neat bedchamber. The lady entered it, bade Emma enter, locked
the door, and then, sinking on the floor before the astonished child,
exclaimed with evident emotion: "Have I found you at last, my dear,
dear child?"

Emma was startled at the lady's tone, and for the fist time felt alarmed.

"I ain't your child," she said. "What makes you call me so?"

"Are you not my dear little Mary?" said the lady.

"No, my name isn't Mary. My name is Emma."

"Did they change your name, my dear child? Was it not enough to
take you away from me, without changing your name?"

"I don't know what you mean," said Emma, ore and more alarmed.
"I want to go back to Ben."

"Would you leave your mother, my child?"

"You are not my mother. Let me go."

Emma ran to the door, but it was locked, and the key was in the
lady's pocket.

"I cannot let you go, my dear child. You have been away from me
too long already. I have been very lonely without you."

Her tone was still kind--it had never varied--but Emma was
thoroughly frightened.

"Let me go!" she began to cry. "I want to go to Ben."

The lady looked at her in mingled grief and wonder.

"Can a child turn from her own mother to a stranger?" she said
musingly. "She