n yonder, and buried
him under the floor, under my bed, and have slept over him ever since.'
You see I remember his very words, they affected me so much, I thought
the floor came up and struck me in the face, and that my throat would
burst with the lump which almost strangled me. I did not hear any more,
for I ran from the house into the open air where I could breathe, and
went back to Grey's Park, and up to my room without being missed at all.
I thought I should die, and that was what made me sick, and why I did
not come here till the funeral and why I did not want to see grandpa. I
was so disappointed, so shocked, and afraid he was not in heaven, till I
heard what Mr. Sanford said, and, auntie, I must tell you all, I thought
dreadful things of you, too, because you knew. I thought you were what
they said '_Old 'Scape Gallows_' was, an accomplice."

"Oh, Grey, my boy, no, no," Hannah cried aghast. "This is worse than
death, and from _you_. I cannot bear it."

In an instant Grey was kneeling at her side, imploring her forgiveness
and telling her he did not think this of her now.

"I know you are good, a saint, a martyr, an angel, the best woman that
ever lived. Mr. Sanford said so."

"Mr. Sanford!" Hannah, exclaimed. "What do you mean? You have not spoken
to him?"

"Not of that," Grey said. "But I sent for him, you know, and Aunt Lucy
thought I was going to be good and join the church, but I only wanted
him to tell me sure that grandpa was safe, and that you were good, as I
used to think you were. He never suspected I was inquiring about you, I
brought it in so neat; but he said you were a martyr, a saint, an
angel, and the best woman that ever lived, and I believed him, and love
you so much, and pity you so much for all you must have suffered. And,
now, tell me about it. Don't omit a single detail. I want to know it
all."

So she told him everything, and when the story was ended, he took her
white face between his two hands, and kissing it tenderly, said:

"Now, I am sure you are a saint, a martyr, an angel; but the martyrdom
is over. I shall take care of you, I will help you find Elizabeth Rogers
or her heirs, and father shall not know. I'll go to Europe when I am a
man, and inquire at every house in Carnarvon for Joel Rogers or his
sister; and when I find the heirs, I will send the money to them, and
they shall never know where it came from; and if there are shares in
quarries and mines, I'll manage that some