f a Providence! She must be
her own providence!

She stole again down the stair. Her cousin was in her own room safe
with a novel, and there was Mewks fast asleep in an easy-chair in the
study, with the doors of the dressing-room and chamber ajar! She crept
into the sick-room. There was the tumbler with the medicine! and her
fingers were on the vial in her pocket. The dying man slept.

She drew near the table by the bed. He stirred as if about to awake.
Her limbs, her brain seemed to rebel against her will.--But what folly
it was! the man was not for this world a day longer; what could it
matter whether he left it a few hours earlier or later? The drops on
his brow rose from the pit of his agony; every breath was a torture; it
were mercy to help him across the verge; if to more life, he would owe
her thanks; if to endless rest, he would never accuse her.

She took the vial from her pocket. A hand was on the lock of the door!
She turned and fled through the dressing-room and study, waking Mewks
as she passed. He, hurrying into the chamber, saw Mary already entered.

When Sepia learned who it was that had scared her, she felt she could
kill her with less compunction than Mr. Redmain. She hated her far
worse.

"You _must_ get the viper out of-the house, Mewks," she said. "It is
all your fault she got into the room."

"I'm sure I'm willing enough," he answered, "--even if it wasn't you as
as't me, miss! But what am I to do? She's that brazen, you wouldn'
believe, miss! It wouldn' be becomin' to tell you what I think that
young woman fit to do."

"I don't doubt it," responded Sepia. "But surely," she went on, "the
next time he has an attack, and he's certain to have one soon, you will
be able to get her hustled out!"

"No, miss--least of all just then. She'll make that a pretense for not
going a yard from the bed--as if me that's been about him so many years
didn't know what ought to be done with him in his paroxes of pain
better than the likes of her! Of all things I do loathe a row,
miss--and the talk of it after; and sure I am that without a row we
don't get her out of that room. The only way is to be quiet, and seem
to trust her, and watch for the chance of her going out--then shut her
out, and keep her out."

"I believe you are right," returned Sepia, almost with a hope that no
such opportunity might arrive, but at the same time growing more
determined to take advantage of it if it should.

Hence partly it