you know more about the
fate of Mrs. Berners and her baby too, than you are willing to tell,"
said Miss Libby.

"May be I do, and maybe I don't," answered the old lady. Then suddenly
breaking out angrily, she exclaimed, "I told you both before as I didn't
want to talk of these here horrid ewents! And I don't! And here you draw
me on to talk of them, whether or no! _And look at Gem there_," she
added, lowering her voice, and directing her glance towards the girl at
the spinning-wheel; "she knows nothing about these dreadful doings, and
ought to know nothing about them. Yet there she stands, with her wheel
still, and she a drinking down every word."

CHAPTER XXXI.

GEM.

A maiden meek, with solemn, steadfast eyes,
Full of eternal constancy and faith,
And smiling lips, through whose soft portal sighs
Truth's holy voice, with every balmy breath.--MRS. KEMBLE.

Three pair of eyes were turned towards Gem. She was well worth looking
at, as she stood there beside the pausing wheel, with the thread of yarn
suspended in her hand between the delicate forefinger and thumb, and
with her large, luminous dark eyes, fixed upon the face of the speaker.
Yes, look at Gem--a slight, elegant creature, whose form was perfect
symmetry, whose every motion was perfect grace, whose small stately head
was covered with shining jet-black ringlets that hung down each side and
half shaded a bright young face of exceeding beauty--an oval face, with
regular features, large, soft, dark-blue eyes, vailed with thick, long
lashes, and arched over by slender, jet-black brows, and with roseate
cheeks and crimson lips. This will do for a pen and ink sketch; but how
can I picture the light, the life, the gleam and glow of that brilliant
and beautiful countenance?

She wore a plain brown linsey dress, that perfectly fitted her
symmetrical form; and this rustic suit was relieved by a little linen
collar that clasped her throat, and a pair of little white linen cuffs
that bound her wrists.

The setting was plain enough, but the gem was a very rich and rare
jewel, whoever might be destined to wear it.

Only for an instant she stood thus, like a bright and beautiful image,
and then she suddenly darted across the room, sunk down beside the old
lady's chair, and looking up into her face, said:

"Grandma! I know more of that awful tragedy than you think I do. Of
course, in all these years, I have chanced to hear much from the t