; pray allow me
the privilege of earning a trifle for her benefit while she lives; and
then, sir, _never_--never speak of it to me or any one else, after
this," she implored.

"I shall not hinder you, child," said Mr. Stillinghast, repressing a
groan of anguish which struggled up from his heart. They went together
into the sitting-room; and May spread his supper before him, but he
only drank his tea, and pushing his plate away, came and sat in his
armchair beside the fire.

"You have taken nothing, sir; pray try and eat this, it is very nice."

"I have such an infernal singing in my ears, that I cannot eat. I can
hardly see. Ding, dong--ding, dong. Great Lord! if this should be
eternal!" he exclaimed, forgetting the presence of May.

"You are not well, sir. Sit here near the fire; put your feet upon
this cushion, so that the soles will be towards the fire, and while you
smoke, I will read the paper to you," said May.

"For what?" he asked, turning his fierce, gray eyes upon her.

"Because you are not well, sir," she said, looking calmly into them.

"Do you know that I have made my will,--cut you off with a few paltry
dollars, not enough to feed you, and left that Helen--that
trifler--that waif, a princely fortune?" he asked, savagely.

"You have a right, sir, to do as you please with your own. You have
sheltered, schooled, and fed me--I have no right to expect more," she
said, gently.

"And if I should be sick--die--what then?" he asked, impatiently.

"Dear uncle, you alarm me. Do you feel ill? If so, oh, dearest uncle,
attend first of all to your eternal concerns--make your peace with God
while it is yet day, and enter into that fold whose Shepherd is Jesus
Christ; where one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism reign!" exclaimed May,
grasping his hand.

"Be silent, you incorrigible papist; what need is there of flying off
at such a tangent?" said Mr. Stillinghast, with a grim smile; "I did
not mean _that_, but what will become of you when I am dead?"

"I have a head, sir, and hands, and great faith in Him, who has
promised to be a father to the orphan. I shall never want. In honest
exertion I shall be happy and content," she said, earnestly.

"And you do not regret or envy the fortune?

"Not on my own account, sir."

"On whose, then?"

"There are many, sir, who might be benefited by it, if properly
applied. I think, _now_, if I had a fortune, I could do a great deal
of good with it."

"You'd d