d she stood looking upon
the desolate girl with feelings that it is difficult to describe. She
also remembered that Sarah herself had told her in their very last
interview, that she had other thoughts, and worse thoughts than the fair
battle of rivalry between them would justify; and it was only now, too,
that the unconscious allusion to the Prophet struck her with full force.

Her sweet and gentle magnanimity, however, rose over every other
consideration but the frightfully desolate state of her unhappy rival.
Even in this case, also, her own fears of contagion yielded to the
benevolent sense of duty by which she was actuated.

"Come what will," she said to her own heart; "we ought to return good
for evil; an' there's no use in knowing what is right, unless we strive
to put it in practice. At any rate, poor girl--poor, generous Sarah, I'm
afeard that you're never likely to do harm to me, or any one else, in
this world. May God, in his mercy, pity and relieve you--and restore you
wanst more to health!"

Mave, unconsciously, repeated the last words aloud; and Sarah, who had
been lying with her back to the unprotected opening of the shed, having
had a slight mitigation, and but a slight one, of the paroxysm under
which she had uttered the previous incoherencies, now turned round, and
fixing her eyes upon Mave, kept sharply, but steadily, gazing at her
for some time. It was quite evident, however, that consciousness had
not returned, for after she had surveyed Mave for a minute or two, she
proceeded--

"The devil was there a while ago, but I wasn't afeard of him, because
I knew that God was stronger than him; and then there came an
angel--another angel, not you--and put him away; but it wasn't my
guardian angel for I never had a guardian angel--oh, never, never--no,
nor any one to take care o' me, or make me love them."

She uttered the last words in a tone of such deep and distressing
sorrow, that Mave's eyes filled with tears, and she replied--

"Dear Sarah, let me be your guardian angel; I will do what I can for
you; do you not know me?"

"No, I don't; arn't you one o' the angels that come about me?--the place
is full o' them."

"Unhappy girl--or maybe happy girl," exclaimed Mave, with a fresh gush
of tears, "who knows but the Almighty has your cold and deserted--bed
I can't call it--surrounded with beings that may comfort you, an' take
care that no evil thing will harm you. Oh no, dear Sarah, I am far from
th