of them had observed it. Thus Agnes Barker
remained some minutes in the room, listening to their conversation with
breathless attention.

"Mother," repeated Lina, and her face flushed like a wild rose, "I have
something to say; don't look at me, please, it makes me afraid."

"Afraid, my child!" said Mabel, smiling, "afraid of your mother! Shame,
Lina!"

"But I can only remember that you are _his_ mother now, dear Mrs.
Harrington!"

"Dear Mrs. Harrington! Why child what has come over you?"

"Something--something so strange and sweet that it makes the very heart
tremble in my bosom, dear mamma, and yet----"

"And yet you are afraid!"

"Yes, mamma; you have thought so highly of him--he is so much wiser and
nobler than I am--he--"

Mabel drew a quick breath, and turned her eyes almost wildly on the face
of the young girl.

"Of whom do you speak, Lina?"

Lina was terrified by her look, and faltered, "of--of Mr. Harrington,
dear mamma."

The Parian cup in Mabel's hand shook like a lily in the wind. She sat it
slowly down, and suppressing a thrill of pain that ran through her like
the creep of a serpent, remained for a moment bereft of all speech. It
was the first time that Lina had ever called Ralph, Mr. Harrington, and
the mistake drove the very blood from the heart of her benefactress.

"Mr. Harrington? and what of him?" inquired the pallid woman, clasping
her tremulous hands and striving to hold them still in her lap. "What of
Mr. Harrington, Lina?" Her voice was low and hoarse; the very atmosphere
around her froze poor Lina into silence.

"Nothing, indeed nothing at all!" she gasped at length. "I was so
terrified, I don't know what I wished to say. It took me so by surprise,
and--and--"

Mabel's face lighted. She remembered her adventure the night before, and
again mistook poor Lina.

"Oh, yes, my own sweet child, I forgot that they kept my peril from you
all night. Mr. Harrington did, indeed, save me."

"Save you, mamma? how? from what?"

"I see they have not told you how near death I was. Oh, Lina! it was
terrible when that wheel plunged me into the black depths. In a single
minute, I thought of everything--of my home, of Ralph, of you, Lina."

The young girl did not answer. She stood aghast with surprise and
terror.

"I thought," said Mabel, still excited and nervous, "I thought of
everything I had ever done in my life--the time, the place, the objects
with which each act had been surrounded,