alk of
women and children seen in church or in school. And to-night I have
heard too much from you, not now to be told more! What is all this
mystery and horror connected with this anniversary of Hallow Eve?
And--who am I?"

"You are my own darling child, Gem!" answered the old lady, in a
trembling voice.

"I know that I am your foster-child, but that is all I, or any one else
except you, seems to know about me! But you know who I am, grandma! Now
tell me--who am I?" she pleaded, taking the withered old hands within
her own, and gazing imploringly up into the kind old eyes that looked
compassionately down on hers.

"You are my pet, and my darling, and my blessing, Gem! That is enough
for you to know!" answered the old lady, still in a tremulous tone.

"Am I that prison-born child? Am I the daughter of that poor lady who
was crucified and cast out among human creatures? Am I? Am I?" persisted
the young girl beseechingly, while Miss Tabby wept and Miss Libby
moaned.

"Gem," said the aged woman gravely, and sorrowfully pressing the
maiden's hands, "Gem, have I been a good grandma to you?"

"Oh, you have! you have!" answered the young girl, earnestly.

"And can you still trust me to be good to you, and true to your best
interests?"

"Oh, yes, yes, yes! dear grandma!"

"Then, my own little one, trust me, by obeying me, when I tell you to
ask me no questions about yourself; because I cannot answer them yet a
while. Will you do so, my little Gem?"

"Yes, yes, I will! I will! But, dear granny, I know! I know! although
you are too tender to tell me, I know!"

"Know--what, Gem?" questioned Mrs. Winterose, in alarm.

"I know that some mystery and horror hung over my birth--hangs over my
life! I have known this a long time. They call me 'Ingemisca;' that
means, 'Bewail! Bewail!' Some one bewailed my birth, and bade _me_
bewail it! Some one sung the refrain of a requiem at my baptism, as they
do at the burial of others! And oh, grandma! to-night! to-night! in what
has reached my ears, I have found a clue to the solving of my mystery!"

"Gem! Gem! if ever I have been kind to you, mind me now! Never think,
never speak of these things again. Look on yourself as my child, and
nothing more," urged the old lady with so much earnestness, and even
pain, that her pet hastened to caress her, and to say:

"I will mind you as much as I can, best, dearest granny! I will never
speak of this again until you give me leave."

"Th