aking her head sagaciously--"dough dey may be disappinted yit,
when de time comes to testify and swar! De biggest price will carry de
day den, chile; I tells you all," eying the gold held closely in her
palm.

I caught eagerly at the idea of the child's presence, though the rest
was Greek to my comprehension until long afterward, when, in untangling
a chain of iniquity difficult to match, it formed one important but
additional link.

"Poor little Ernie! I would give so much to see him," I said. "Ask Dr.
Englehart to let him come to see me, Sabra, and some day I will reward
you"--all this in the faintest whisper. "But Mrs. Raymond--where is she?
Does she never come here? I desire earnestly to speak with her. Can't
you let her know this? Try, Sabra, for humanity's sake."

At this juncture the head of Mrs. Clayton was thrust forth from its
shell, turtle-wise, and appeared peering at the door-cheek.

"You have been there long enough to make these clothes instead of
putting them away, old woman," was the sharp rebuke that startled the
pretended Dinah to a condition of bustling agitation, and induced her to
shut up one of her own shrivelled hands in closing the drawer, with a
force that made her cry aloud, and, when released, wring it with agony,
that drew some words in the vernacular. "What makes you suppose Miss
Monfort wants to hear your chattering, old magpie that you are?"
continued Mrs. Clayton, throwing off her mask. "Now walk very straight,
or the police shall have you next time you steal from a companion.
Remember who rescued you on the Latona, and on what conditions, and take
care how you conduct yourself in the future. Do you understand me?"

After this tirade, which sorely exhausted her, Mrs. Clayton relapsed
into silence; and now it was my time to speak and even scold. I said:

"Now that the Spanish farce is thrown aside, it is hard indeed that I
cannot even be allowed to exchange a few words with a laundress in my
solitary condition--hard that I should be pressed to the wall in this
fiendish fashion. This woman was telling me of the presence of a little
child in the house, and I have desired permission to see it by way of
diversion and occupation, I have asked her to apply to Dr. Englehart."

"The child shall come to you, Miss Monfort, whenever you wish," said
Mrs. Clayton, with ill-disguised eagerness. "This woman is not the
proper person to apply to, however, and it is natural you should feel
concerned