th feelings of deep shame and humiliation that poor Mary walked
down the main street of the town, casting her eyes up fearfully to the
scenes of her former life. She was very plainly attired, and had a
thick veil over her face, so that nobody recognised her; she arrived at
the door of Mrs Chopper's abode, ascended the stairs, and was once more
in the room out of which she had quitted Gravesend to lead a new life;
and most conscientiously had she fulfilled her resolution, as the reader
must be aware. Mrs Chopper was in bed and slumbering when Mary softly
opened the door; the signs of approaching death were on her
countenance--her large, round form had wasted away--her fingers were now
taper and bloodless; Mary would not have recognised her had she fallen
in with her under other circumstances. An old woman was in attendance;
she rose up when Mary entered, imagining that it was some kind lady come
to visit the sick woman. Mary sat down by the side of the bed, and
motioned to the old woman that she might go out, and then she raised her
veil and waited till the sufferer roused. Mary had snuffed the candle
twice that she might see sufficiently to read the Prayer Book which she
had taken up, when Mrs Chopper opened her eyes.

"How very kind of you, ma'am!" said Mrs Chopper; "and where is Miss
---? My eyes are dimmer every day."

"It is me, Mary--Nancy that was!"

"And so it is! O, Nancy, now I shall die in peace! I thought at first
it was the kind lady who comes every day to read and to pray with me.
Dear Nancy, how glad I am to see you! And how do you do? And how is
poor Peter?"

"Quite well when I heard from him last, my dear Mrs Chopper."

"You don't know, Nancy, what a comfort it is to me to see you looking as
you do, so good and so innocent; and when I think it was by my humble
means that you were put in the way of becoming so, I feel as if I had
done one good act, and that perhaps my sins may be forgiven me."

"God will reward you, Mrs Chopper; I said so at the time, and I feel it
now," replied Mary, the tears rolling down her cheeks; "I trust by your
means, and with strength from above, I shall continue in the same path,
so that one sinner may be saved."

"Bless you, Nancy!--You never were a bad girl in heart; I always said
so. And where is Peter now?"

"Going about the country earning his bread; poor, but happy."

"Well, Nancy, it will soon be over with me; I may die in a second, they
tell me, or I