I feel as if I could never thank
Heaven enough!" exclaimed Odalite, convulsively clasping her hands.

There was silence between them for a few moments, and then Odalite,
looking all around the room, and finding herself alone with her mother,
dropped her voice to the tenderest murmur, and asked:

"But, mamma, sweet mamma, are you free? Are you free from that man's
threats and persecutions?"

"Ah, my dear, I do not know! I do not know!" sighed the lady.

"Then, darling mother, if you are not free, I am not. I am your bondsmaid,
and I am your hostage to that man for your deliverance from him. I wish to
be nothing else, mamma. I do wish to give my whole life, if it be
necessary, to secure your peace of mind."

"My own, own heavenly angel, the sacrifice will not be required. You have
been once offered, and you have been wonderfully delivered. It is final,
my darling. No victim was ever laid a second time upon the fire!"

"But yet you are not free, mamma?"

"I do not know. I cannot even conjecture what the monster's next move may
be. But I do know this--that, whatever he does, or attempts to do, he will
not be permitted to touch you, or even to see or to speak to you again!"

"Oh, I should be overjoyed to hear that, if only you were free from him,
sweet mother!"

"My darling, the arm that delivered you is not shortened that it cannot
save. For, Odalite, whatever the instrument might have been, it was the
hand of Providence that saved you."

"I know it, mamma. And I will hope and trust. You never did any evil in
your life. You have only suffered from evildoers. Why, on that account,
should you continue to suffer? Yes, I will hope and trust. And, mamma, I
have roused myself, and am going down to dinner to surprise papa. And
then, oh, do let us try to recover the good, old days of peace and
gladness that we had before the tempter and destroyer came. Who is
downstairs besides our own family?"

"Dr. Peters is here. He brought confirmation of that monster's Californian
marriage."

"Oh, I am very glad of that! I would have it confirmed and reconfirmed
forever and ever. Who else is downstairs, mamma?"

"Mrs. Anglesea. Your father asked her to the house, that we might hear her
statement in more detail. And she seems to like her quarters so well that
I am inclined to think that she will stay just as long as she is permitted
to do so."

"Well, mamma, let her stay. Poor woman! To be deserted by her husband! Is
she very