rough; and, with the exception of the girl's ancle, which was found to
be dislocated, there appeared nothing to account for death save exposure
to the cold.

The coroner quickly summed up, and addressing the jury said--"he did not
see how they could bring in any other verdict than 'died from natural
causes.'" With one exception all acquiesced, and this one refused to
agree to such a verdict, saying that death had been caused by unnatural
causes! At last the verdict was altered to "Found frozen to death." To
this a juryman wished to add something about arbitrary laws and
inhumanity, but he was overruled.

It needed nothing now but to put them in the earth, and cover them up.

The following morning the whistles shrieked as fiercely, the wheels went
round as merrily as ever; two other children were in the places of the
lost ones, and it was as if they had never been.

The day for the funeral arrived--the father and children were to be
interred together. There was a large gathering of sympathising friends.
Poor Bessy! had partially recovered, but seemed like one just waking
from a dream; the mournful cortege gained the church yard. The coffins
were slowly lowered into the grave. The grey-haired pastor's voice was
at times almost inaudible--every heart was touched, for all took the
case home to themselves, and asked the question, "How if they were
mine?" "Dust to dust, and ashes to ashes," and the ceremony was
completed.

Few of them had failed to remark the presence of a strange mourner--one
whose dress bespoke him to be a gentleman; and as the widow turned to
leave the grave, he stept up to her and offered her his arm for support.
She took it mechanically, and wended her way to her desolate home. He
was the only one, with the exception of Old Becca, who entered with
Bessy.

He looked around the forlorn room, gazing now here, now there, to hide
his emotion. He seemed about to speak when a knock at the door
interrupted him.

Becca opened it, and returned with a letter stating that the bearer
required an answer. The stranger took it with an air of authority and
broke the seal; as he did so, a five pound note fluttered to the ground.
While he read the letter his eyes flashed with a strange fire, and his
quivering nostril showed the strength of the passion raging within.

Turning to the boy, he thrust the letter into his hand, and bade him
pick up the note. "Take this answer to your master, boy," he said; "we
return t