d from
her face, when sunlit, a reflection of light flooded the little
white dress of the babe, and illumined the tiny arm, and restless
fingers laid against her bosom.

"A little fish swims in the well,
So in my heart does baby dwell.
A little flower blows on the tree,
My baby is the flower to me.
And It's O! sweet, sweet! and a lullaby!"

A wondrous expression of peace and contentment was on Mehetabel's
face. None of the care and pain that had lined it, none of the gloom
of hopelessness that had lain on it, had left now thereon a trace.
In her child all her hope was centred, all her love culminated.

"The King has sceptre, crown and ball.
You are my sceptre, crown and all,
For all his robes of royal silk.
More fair your skin, as white as milk.
And it's O! sweet, sweet, and a lullaby!

"Ten thousand parks where deer may run,
Ten thousand roses in the sun.
Ten thousand pearls beneath the sea.
My babe, more precious is to me.
And it's O! sweet, sweet, and a lullaby!"

Presently gentle sleep descended on the head of the child, the
pink eyelids closed, the restless hand ceased to grope and clutch,
and the breath came evenly. Mehetabel laid her little one again in
its cradle, and recommenced the rocking with the accompanying
swaying of the flowers.

Now that the child was asleep Mehetabel sat lightly swinging the
cradle, afraid to leave it at rest lest that of her infant should
again be broken.

She thought of the death of her almost mother Susanna Verstage,
the only woman that had shown her kindness, except the dame of the
school she had attended as a child.

Mehetabel's heart overflowed with tender love towards the deceased,
she fully, frankly forgave her the cruel blow whereby she had
wounded her, and had driven her out of her house and into that of
Jonas. And yet it was a deadly wrong: a wrong that could never be
redressed. The wound dealt her would canker her heart away; it was
of such a nature that nothing could heal it. Mehetabel was well
aware of this. She could see brightness before her in one direction
only. From her child alone could she derive hope and joy in
the future. And yet she forgave Mrs. Verstage with a generous
forgiveness which was part of her nature. She would forgive Jonas
anything, everything, if he would but acknowledge his wrong, and
turn to her in love.

And now she found that she could think of Iver without a quickening
of her pulses.