ot there, and began to fear she should gain no information concerning
him, when she met Mr. Miller coming from the gallery. He looked
surprised at seeing her, and asked if Mr. Cooper had not returned home.
She answered in the negative, and he informed her that his efforts were
insufficient to persuade the old man to go home at dinner-time, and that
he had therefore taken him to his own house; he had supposed that long
before this hour he would have been induced to allow one of the
children to accompany him to Mrs. Sullivan's.

As it seemed probable that he was still at Mr. Miller's, Gertrude
proceeded thither at once. After an uncomfortable walk, she reached her
destination. She knocked at the door, but there was no response, and
after waiting a moment, she opened it, and went in. Through another door
there was the sound of children's voices, and so much noise that she
believed it impossible to make herself heard, and, therefore, without
further ceremony, entered the room. A band of startled children
dispersed at the sight of a stranger, and ensconced themselves in
corners; and Mrs. Miller, in dismay at the untidy appearance of her
kitchen, hastily pushed back a clothes-horse against the wall, thereby
disclosing to view the very person Gertrude had come to seek, who, in
his usual desponding attitude, sat cowering over the fire. But, before
she could advance to speak to him, her attention was arrested by a most
unexpected sight. Placed against the side of the room, opposite the
door, was a narrow bed, in which some person seemed to be sleeping.
Hardly, however, had Gertrude presented herself in the doorway before
the figure suddenly raised itself, gazed fixedly at her, lifted a hand
as if to ward off her approach, and uttered a piercing shriek.

The voice and countenance were not to be mistaken, and Gertrude, pale
and trembling, felt something like a revival of her old dread as she
beheld the well-known features of Nan Grant.

"Go away! go _away_!" cried Nan, as Gertrude advanced into the room.
Again Gertrude paused, for the wildness of Nan's eyes and the excitement
of her countenance were such that she feared to excite her further. Mrs.
Miller now came forward and said, "Why, Aunt Nancy! what is the matter?
This is Miss Flint, one of the best young ladies in the land."

"No, 'tan't!" said Nan. "I know better."

Mrs. Miller now drew Gertrude aside into the shadow of the
clothes-horse, and conversed with her in an und