in this room for to do? I couldn't even form an idee.
But presently my blood ran cold to hear a groan from behind the
curtains! then another! and another! then a cry as of some child in
mortal agony, saying:

"'For the love of Heaven, save me!'

"I ran to the bed and dropped the curtains and liked to have fainted at
what I saw!"

"And what did you see?" asked the magistrate.

"Master, behind those dark curtains I saw a young creature tossing about
on the bed, flinging her hair and beautiful arms about and tearing
wildly at the fine lace that trimmed her night-dress. But, master, that
wasn't what almost made me faint--it was that her right hand was sewed
up in black crape, and her whole face and head completely covered with
black crape drawn down and fastened securely around her throat, leaving
only a small slit at the lips and nose to breathe through!"

"What! Take care, woman! Remember that you are upon your oath!" said the
magistrate.

"I know it, master. And as I hope to be forgiven, I am telling you the
truth!"

"Go on, then."

"Well, sir, she was a young creature, scarcely past childhood, if one
might judge by her small size and soft, rosy skin. I asked her to let me
take that black crape from her face and head, but she threw up her hands
and exclaimed:

"'Oh, no; no, no! for my life, no!'

"Well, master, I hardly know how to tell you what followed," said the
old woman, hesitating in embarrassment.

"Go right straight on like a car of Juggernaut, woman! Remember--the
whole truth!"

"Well, master, in the next two hours there were twins born in that
room--a boy and a girl; the boy was dead, the girl living. And all the
time I heard the measured tramping of one of them willains up and down
the passage outside of that room. Presently the steps stopped, and there
was a rap at the door. I went and listened, but did not open it.

"'Is it all over?' the voice asked.

"Before I could answer a cry from the bed caused me to look round. There
was the poor, masked mother stretching out her white arms toward me in
the most imploring way. I hastened back to her.

"'Tell him--no--no,' she said.

"'Have you got through?' asked the man at the door, rapping impatiently.

"'No, no,' said I, as directed.

"He resumed his tramping up and down, and I went back to my patient. She
beckoned me to come close, and whispered:

"'Save my child! The living one, I mean! Hide her! oh, hide her from
him! When he demands th