loesville nobody would know Miss
Lois, and I should keep myself in a measure concealed; there were only a
few persons from Timloesville at the trial, and I think I could evade
them."

"I should have liked much to meet Miss Hinsdale," said Miss Margaretta,
in a tone of regret. "But you know best."

"Oh, no, no," said Anne, letting her arms fall in sudden despondency. "I
sometimes think that I know nothing, and worse than nothing! Moments
come when I would give years of my life for one hour, only one, of
trusting reliance upon some one wiser, stronger, than I--who would tell
me what I ought to do."

But this cry of the young heart (brave, but yet so young) distressed
Miss Margaretta. If the pilot should lose courage, what would become of
the passengers? She felt herself looking into chaos.

Anne saw this. And controlled herself again.

"When should you start?" said the elder lady, relieved, and bringing
forward a date. Miss Margaretta always found great support in dates.

"I can not tell yet. We must first hear from Miss Lois."

"I will write to her myself," said Miss Margaretta, putting on her
spectacles and setting to work at once. It was a relief to be engaged
upon something tangible.

And write she did. The pages she sent to Miss Lois, and the pages with
which Miss Lois replied were many, eloquent, and underlined. Before the
correspondence was ended they had scientifically discovered, convicted,
and hanged the murderer, and religiously buried him.

Miss Lois was the most devoted partisan the accused man had gained. She
was pleader, audience, public opinion, detective, judge, and final
clergyman, in one. She had never seen Heathcote. That made no
difference. She was sure he was a concentration of virtue, and the
victim not of circumstances (that was far too mild), but of a "plot"
(she wanted to say "popish," but was restrained by her regard for Pere
Michaux).

Miss Teller saw Heathcote daily. So far, she had not felt it necessary
that Anne should accompany her. But shortly before the time fixed for
the young girl's departure she was seized with the idea that it was
Anne's duty to see him once. For perhaps he could tell her something
which would be of use at Timloesville.

"I would rather not; it is not necessary," replied Anne. "You can tell
me."

"You should not think of yourself; in such cases ourselves are nothing,"
said Miss Teller. "The sheriff and the persons in charge under him are
possessed of e