nce. "It is very cruel."

"It is you that are cruel," said Lady Rowley.

"Of course;--of course. That is natural from you. I expect that from
you." To this she made no answer, and he did not open his lips again.

After a while Mrs. Trevelyan called to her mother, and Lady Rowley
was allowed to go up-stairs. The quarter of an hour was of course
greatly stretched, and all the time Trevelyan continued to pace in
and out of the room. He was patient, for he did not summon them; but
went on pacing backwards and forwards, looking now and again to see
that the cab was at its place,--that no deceit was being attempted,
no second act of kidnapping being perpetrated. At last the two ladies
came down the stairs, and the boy was with them,--and the woman of
the house.

"Louis," said the wife, going quickly up to her husband, "I will do
anything, if you will give me my child."

"What will you do?"

"Anything;--say what you want. He is all the world to me, and I
cannot live if he be taken from me."

"Acknowledge that you have been wrong."

"But how;--in what words;--how am I to speak it?"

"Say that you have sinned;--and that you will sin no more."

"Sinned, Louis;--as the woman did,--in the Scripture? Would you have
me say that?"

"He cannot think that it is so," said Lady Rowley.

But Trevelyan had not understood her. "Lady Rowley, I should have
fancied that my thoughts at any rate were my own. But this is useless
now. The child cannot go with you to-day, nor can you remain here. Go
home and think of what I have said. If then you will do as I would
have you, you shall return."

With many embraces, with promises of motherly love, and with prayers
for love in return, the poor woman did at last leave the house, and
return to the cab. As she went there was a doubt on her own mind
whether she should ask to kiss her husband; but he made no sign, and
she at last passed out without any mark of tenderness. He stood by
the cab as they entered it, and closed the door upon them, and then
went slowly back to his room. "My poor bairn," he said to the boy;
"my poor bairn."

"Why for mamma go?" sobbed the child.

"Mamma goes--; oh, heaven and earth, why should she go? She goes
because her spirit is obstinate, and she will not bend. She is
stiff-necked, and will not submit herself. But Louey must love mamma
always;--and mamma some day will come back to him, and be good to
him."

"Mamma is good,--always," said the child. Trevely