"I'll make all fast, so that I shall know that she is safely at home for at least two years; for once there again, I know she will be tame and quiet as--Curse her, though! why did she play me such a trick as this? She must be after the child. I wish it was--" Richard Pellet did not finish his sentence, but started up, and stood staring at the figure which now entered the room. "Why--why"--he stammered; "I thought you had gone off." "Gone!" said Ellen, with a weary smile,--"gone! no, no; I only went to see her little face once more, and she was not there. You had taken her away, and I came back, Richard, for I knew you would be angry; and I said that perhaps you would forgive me, and let me see her again, and tell me where she is. Only once, Richard! only once--just for a minute!" and the clasped hands went up towards him once more in supplication. But a worldly feeling was strong upon Richard Pellet; in that hour his spirits rose, and he felt elate, for the danger was past, and knowing full well this woman's truthful candid nature, he knew that it was as she said. She had been to the house, and then returned; and there was no exposure now--nothing to fear, and his heart grew hard as flint as he sneeringly said-- "You are confoundedly obedient all at once," and then, with a half laugh, "why didn't you stay away altogether?" "Obedient, Richard!" she sobbed; "was I not always your slave? did I not always do as you wished? and now, but this one little request--this one prayer--" She paused, for her gaoler entered the room. "Ho!" said the woman, "you know all about it by this time, I suppose. I found her back again when I got home. Perhaps you'd better"--Here she whispered. Richard Pellet's hand went reluctantly into his pocket, for though he was generosity's self with his money when he could see returning interest--or at least show--in other matters, he grudged every shilling he spent; but the woman's demand was satisfied, and she left the room, taking with her Ellen, while upon her return in a few minutes without her charge, fresh arrangements were made, and the bars of Ellen Herrisey's prison grew closer than ever. Volume 1, Chapter XXIX. NURSE OR DOCTOR. "You ought to have been a woman, Mr Ruggles," said Mrs Jared, one Sunday, when Tim came to see them after church, bringing with him little Pine. "He had taken her for a treat," he said, "to hear Mr Pellet play the organ;" and now, having accepted Mrs Jared's pressing invitation to dinner, he had been explaining to that lady the various plans he had adopted for keeping the child warm, for Mrs Jared had been taking quite a motherly interest in the gentle little thing, and recommending flannels and wrapping. But Tim had forestalled her, as he triumphantly showed, for there was flannel in various forms, neatly stitched and adapted. The little jacket the child wore was built by Tim, and in various ways he displayed how thoroughly he loved his charge.