"Promise me! promise me! promise me! while my ears can yet take in your
voice!" Nora's words fell fainter and fainter; she was failing fast.

"Oh, Heaven, I promise you, Nora--the Lord forgive me for it!" wept
Hannah.

"The Lord bless you for it, Hannah." Her voice sunk into murmurs and the
cold shades of death crept over her face again; but rallying her fast
failing strength she gasped:

"My boy, quick! Oh, quick, Hannah!"

Hannah lifted the babe from his nest and held him low to meet his
mother's last kiss.

"There, now, lay him on my arm, Hannah, close to my left side, and draw
my hand over him; I would feel him near me to the very last."

With trembling fingers the poor woman obeyed.

And the dying mother held her child to her heart, and raised her glazing
eyes full of the agony of human love to Heaven, and prayed:

"O pitiful Lord, look down in mercy on this poor, poor babe! Take him
under thy care!" And with this prayer she sank into insensibility.

Hannah flew to the door and beckoned Herman. He came in, the living
image of despair. And both went and stood by the bed. They dared not
break the sacred spell by speech. They gazed upon her in silent awe.

Her face was gray and rigid; her eyes were still and stony; her breath
and pulse were stopped. Was she gone? No, for suddenly upon that face of
death a great light dawned, irradiating it with angelic beauty and
glory; and once more with awful solemnity deep bell-like tones tolled
forth the notes.

"Out of the depths have I called to Thee
And Thou hast heard my voice."

And with these holy words upon her lips the gentle spirit of Nora Worth,
ruined maiden but innocent mother, winged its way to heaven.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE FLIGHT OF HERMAN.

Tread softly--bow the head--
In reverent silence bow;
There's one in that poor shed,
One by that humble bed,
Greater than thou!

Oh, change! Stupendous change!
Fled the immortal one!
A moment here, so low,
So agonized, and now--
Beyond the sun!

--_Caroline Bowles_.

For some time Hannah Worth and Herman Brudenell remained standing by the
bedside, and gazing in awful silence upon the beautiful clay extended
before them, upon which the spirit in parting had left the impress of
its last earthly smile!

Then the bitter grief of the bereaved woman burst through all outward
restraints, and she threw herself upon the bed and clasped the dead body
of her sister to her b