e tree-bole.

He began picking at the great lichen that grew out of the decaying
tree, and laughed.

"Have I hit it? Jealous, eh? Jealousy is at the bottom of it all.
By Jove, the Broom-Squire isn't worth expending a jealous thought
on. He's a poor sordid creature. Not worthy of you. So jealous, my
little woman, eh?"

Mehetabel turned and looked steadily at him.

"You do not understand me," she said. "No Jonas has not sunk so
low as that."

"He would have been a fool to have cast aside a jewel for the sake
of quartz crystal," laughed Markham. "But, come. A lawyer is a
confessor. Tell me everything. Make no reservations. Open your
heart to me, and see if the law, or myself--between us we cannot
assist you."

Mehetabel hesitated. The manner in which the man offered his
services was offensive, and yet in her innocent mind she thought
that perhaps the fault lay in herself in not understanding and
receiving his address in the way in which it was intended. Besides,
in what other manner could she obtain relief? Every other means was
taken from her.

Slowly, reluctantly, she told him much that she had not told to any
one else--only not that Jonas had endeavored to kill the child.
That she would not relate.

When she had finished her tale, he said, "What you have told me is
a very sad story, and makes my heart ache for you. You can rely on
me, I will be your friend and protector. We have had a case on
lately, of a woman who was equally unhappy in her married life; her
name was Jane Summers. You may have seen it in the papers."

"I'll never see the papers. How did Jane Summers manage?"

"She had a crabbed, ill-conditioned husband, and she was a fine,
handsome, lusty woman. He fell ill, and she did not afford him all
that care and attention which was requisite in his condition. She
went out amusing herself, and left him at home with no one to see
to his necessities. The consequence was that he died, and she was
tried for it, but the case against her broke down. It could not be
proved that had she been devoted to him in his sickness he would
have recovered. The law takes cognizance of commission of a crime,
and not of neglect of duty."

Mehetabel opened her eyes. "If Jonas were ill I would attend him
day and night," she said. "But he is not ill--never was, till the
shot entered his arm, and then I was with him all day and all
night."

"How did he receive your ministry?"

"He was very irritable. I suppose the pai