at I had
done--perhaps the twins would have been saved with me if I had not
thrown them down. I was afraid that some of their relatives in America
would rise up and accuse me, you see, sir, and put me in disgrace. I had
acted for the best, but would any one believe me? So when they asked my
name, I gave the first I could think of, and said it was 'Ellen Lee,'
and when they wondered at such a strange name for a French girl, as I
appeared to be, I told them one of my parents was English, which was
true enough. Not having been able to save a bit of my luggage, I was
fain to take a little help from the ship's people. As I had been entered
on the passenger-list only as Mrs. Wolcott Reed's maid, they were
satisfied when I said I was Ellen Lee. After getting safe ashore I kept
my own counsel and hid myself. To this day I never have breathed a word
about the shipwreck or my throwing out the babies--no, not to a living
soul, save yourself, sir. Well, a woman gave me another gown, which was
a help, and I soon found a place with a family in the country, fifteen
miles from Liverpool, to sew for the family and tend the children. Of
course I dropped the name of Ellen Lee the moment I left Liverpool, and
I hoped to settle down to a peaceful life and faithful service. But I
grew sadder all the time; nothing could cheer me up. Night and day, day
and night, I was haunted by the thought of that awful hour."

"Yes, awful indeed," said Donald. "I have often thought of it, and tried
to picture the scene. But we will not speak of it now. You must take
happiness in knowing that, instead of losing the babies, you saved them.
Only don't forget a single thing about the twins and their mother. Tell
me all you can remember about them. Haven't you some little thing that
belonged to them or to any of the party? A lock of hair or a piece of a
dress--_anything_ that was theirs? Oh, I hope you have--it is so very
important!"

"Ah, yes, sir! I was just coming to that. There's a few things that
belonged to the babies and the poor mother--and to tell you the truth,
they've pressed heavy enough on my conscience all these years."

Donald, with difficulty, controlled his impatience to see the articles,
but he felt that it would be wisest to let Madame have her way.

"You see how it was: a young man--the same young man who had taken the
picture--came to the ship to bid me good-by, and stood talking apart
with me a minute, while the ladies were looking into