lly
Greaves. Dear! and I shall see her again, I reckon, come next Saturday
week! They'll think well on me, up there, I'll be bound; though I cannot
say as I've done all as I should do here below."

"But, Dixon," said Ellinor, "you know who did this--this--"

"Guilty o' murder," said he. "That's what they called it. Murder! And
that it never were, choose who did it."

"My poor, poor father did it. I am going up to London this afternoon; I
am going to see the judge, and tell him all."

"Don't you demean yourself to that fellow, missy. It's him as left you
in the lurch as soon as sorrow and shame came nigh you."

He looked up at her now, for the first time; but she went on as if she
had not noticed those wistful, weary eyes.

"Yes! I shall go to him. I know who it is; and I am resolved. After
all, he may be better than a stranger, for real help; and I shall never
remember any--anything else, when I think of you, good faithful friend."

"He looks but a wizened old fellow in his grey wig. I should hardly ha'
known him. I gave him a look, as much as to say, 'I could tell tales o'
you, my lord judge, if I chose.' I don't know if he heeded me, though. I
suppose it were for a sign of old acquaintance that he said he'd
recommend me to mercy. But I'd sooner have death nor mercy, by long
odds. Yon man out there says mercy means Botany Bay. It 'ud be like
killing me by inches, that would. It would. I'd liefer go straight to
Heaven, than live on among the black folk."

He began to shake again: this idea of transportation, from its very
mysteriousness, was more terrifying to him than death. He kept on saying
plaintively, "Missy, you'll never let 'em send me to Botany Bay; I
couldn't stand that."

"No, no!" said she. "You shall come out of this prison, and go home with
me to East Chester; I promise you you shall. I promise you. I don't yet
quite know how, but trust in my promise. Don't fret about Botany Bay. If
you go there, I go too. I am so sure you will not go. And you know if
you have done anything against the law in concealing that fatal night's
work, I did too, and if you are to be punished, I will be punished too.
But I feel sure it will be right; I mean, as right as anything can be,
with the recollection of that time present to us, as it must always be."
She almost spoke these last words to herself. They sat on, hand in hand
for a few minutes more in silence.

"I thought you'd come to me.