front. Chatty
called to her in the sudden fright that had come over her, and was glad
when the girl stopped and turned round reluctantly, though Lizzie's face
was also stained with crying and wore a mutinous and sullen look.

"Did you call me, Miss Warrender? I am going home, Granny is waiting."

"Wait for me a moment, Lizzie. Oh, you have been crying too. What is the
matter? And that--that lady----"

"I won't tell you a lie, Miss Chatty, when you've just found me out.
But--if you're going to tell upon me, this is the truth. I have been
saying good-bye to her; and no one in Underwood will ever see her more."
Then Lizzie began to cry again, melting Chatty's soft heart.

"Why should I tell upon you? I have nothing to say. It appears that it
is some one you know; but I--don't know who it is."

"Oh, Miss Chatty, you are the real good one," said Lizzie, "you don't
think everybody's wicked. I don't love her ways, but I love her, that
poor, poor thing. Don't tell Granny I was with her; but it is only to
say good-bye;--that was all, for the last time, just to say good-bye."

"Is she--going away?" Chatty spoke in a low and troubled voice, knowing
that she ought not to show any interest, but with a pity and almost awe
of the sinner which was beyond all rule.

"Oh yes, Miss Warrender, she is going away; the gentleman spoke the
truth when he said it always comes to misery. There may be a fine
appearance for a time, and everything seem grand and gay; but it always
comes to misery in the end."

To this Chatty made no reply. It was not a lesson that she required in
her innocence and absence from all temptation, to learn; but she had an
awe of it as if a gulf had opened at her feet and she had seen the
blackness of darkness within.

"And if you'll believe me, she once was just as good and as innocent--!
Well, and she's a kind of innocent now for that matter. Oh, poor thing!
Oh, Miss Warrender, don't you be angry if I'm choking and crying, I
can't help it! She don't know what she's doing. She don't know bad from
good, or right from wrong. There's some like that. Just what pleases
them at the moment, that's all they think of. She once had as happy a
life before her! and a good husband, and served hand and foot."

"Lizzie," said Chatty, with a shudder, "don't please tell me any more.
If anything can be done----"

"Nothing," said the girl, shaking her head. "What could be done? If the
good ladies were to get her into their han