rrell, before he should come down-stairs.

While the good woman was forced to bestir herself for her lodgers'
breakfasts, Lucilla could steal a solitary moment to gaze on the pallid
face to which death had restored much of its beauty. She pressed her
lips on the regal brow, and spoke half aloud, 'Edna, Edna Sandbrook,
sister Edna, you should have trusted me. You knew I would see justice
done to you, and I will. You shall lie by my mother's side in our own
churchyard, and Wrapworth shall know that she, whom they envied and
maligned, was Owen Sandbrook's wife and my cherished sister.'

Poor Mrs. Murrell, with her swimming eyes and stock phrases, brought far
more Christian sentiments to the bed of death. 'Poor, dear love, her
father and I little thought it would end in this, when we used to be so
proud of her. We should have minded that pride is not made for sinners.
"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain;" and the Lord saw it well that
we should be cast down and slanderous lips opened against us, that so we
might feel our trust is in Him alone! Oh, it is good that even thus she
was brought to turn to Him! But I thank--oh, I thank Him that her father
never lived to see this day!'

She wept such tears of true thankfulness and resignation, that Lucilla,
almost abashed by the sight of piety beyond her comprehension, stood
silent, till, with a change to the practical, Mrs. Murrell recovered
herself, saying, 'If you please, ma'am, when had I best come and speak to
the young gentleman? I ought to know what would be pleasing to him about
the funeral.'

'We will arrange,' said Lucilla; 'she shall be buried with my mother and
sister in Wrapworth churchyard.'

Though gratified, Mrs. Murrell demurred, lest it might be taken ill by
the 'family' and by that godly minister whose kindness and sympathy at
the time of Edna's evasion had made a deep impression; but Lucilla boldly
undertook that the family _must_ like it, and she would take care of the
minister. Nor was the good woman insensible to the posthumous triumph
over calumny, although still with a certain hankering after Kensal Green
as a sweet place, with pious monuments, where she should herself be laid,
and the Company that did things so reasonable and so handsome.

Lucilla hurried back to fulfil the mission of Nemesis to the Charterises,
which she called justice to Edna, and by the nine o'clock post despatched
three notes. One containing the notice for the _Time