was very grateful to him for his kind interest in
herself, and in her lost one, assuring him that she did not ask for
charity, and was willing to work hard for a support.

"You have been a blessing to me, Fanny," said Mrs. Kent, when the
physician and his family had departed. "I am sure that God sent you
here to save me from misery and despair. What should I have done if you
had not come?"

"I think I was sent for my own sake, rather than for yours, for I know
that it has been a greater blessing to me than to you," replied Fanny.

"That can't be."

"It is so. When I told Jenny that I had been a very wicked girl, I
meant so."

"I'm sure that one who has been so kind can't be very bad," added Mrs.
Kent, rather bewildered by the confession of her benefactor. "Where did
you say you lived, Fanny?"

The wanderer had been obliged to invent a story in the beginning to
account for her absence from home, and the poor woman's heart had been
too full of gratitude to permit any doubt to enter there.

"I have deceived you, Mrs. Kent," replied Fanny, bursting into tears.
"I do not live in the city; my home is twenty-five miles up the river.
But I did not mean to deceive poor Jenny. I wanted to tell her what a
wicked deed I had done, but she would not let me."

"She was too good to think evil of any one, and especially of you, who
have been so generous to us."

"You know the paper she wrote and gave to me?"

"Yes."

"I know from that she believed I had done something very bad."

"Perhaps she did."

"She told me how to be good. The very sight of her made me feel how
wicked I was. I mean to be good."

"Then I am sure you will be."

"I shall always think of Jenny, and the anchor she gave me, when I am
tempted to do wrong. I feel that Jenny has saved me, and made me a new
being."

"I'm sure I hope so; and I am glad you came here for your own sake, as
well as for mine. But I can't believe that one who has been good to my
dear lost one can be very bad," replied Mrs. Kent, gloomily.

"I am--at least, I was; for I know I am ever so much better than I was
when I came here. I ran away from home!"

"Ran away!" exclaimed Mrs. Kent, appalled at the words.

"Yes; and I did even worse than that."

"Dear me! I hope not. I thought it was strange that a young lady like
you should have so much money; but my heart was so full that I didn't
think much about it."

"Mrs. Kent, I stole that money!" added Fanny, her face crimson wi