Time after time Tim glanced wistfully from face to face, as if to see what effect his words had; and then he altered and re-arranged the mourning-band around his hat, smoothing it, brushing it with his gloves, and at last setting it upon the table. "It seems to do me good telling you all about it, Mrs Pellet, ma'am; but for all that, the words seem to run and run; only I know that you all here used to like and take kindly to the little ill-used thing--for she was ill-used!" he exclaimed, passionately. "But anybody must have taken to and loved her; and do you know," said Tim, solemnly, "that that's why I think she was took away--because she was too good for the life below here. You don't lose no little ones, ma'am, because they are happy and well off, and well treated. Nothing comes drawing of yours away, like it did my poor pet, as I can always hear whispering to me; and when I wake of a night for a few moments, I always seem to feel her little hot hand nestling in my breast, and feeling after mine to put under her burning cheek." Mrs Jared shivered, and looked as if about to run up-stairs and see whether her own little ones were all safe. "But she was wanted," said Tim, sadly, "and I shall never forgive myself--never, never!" and sinking back in the chair behind him, Tim Ruggles gave free vent to his sorrow, bowing his head almost to his knees, covering his face with his hands to conceal its working and the tears. His sobs seemed to tear their way from his breast, as, heedless now of all but his overwhelming grief, he rocked himself to and fro in the bitterness of his anguish. For some time nothing was heard but sobs in that common room. Mrs Jared and Patty crept closer together to weep in unison, Mrs Jared making it appear--though a piece of base dissimulation--that she was only comforting Patty; while Jared rose to rest a hand upon his visitor's shoulder, telling himself that his was not the only trouble in the world. Tim wept on passionately, for the grief which had been thrust down and dammed back for days past, now burst forth with a violence that could not be stayed, as, still blaming himself for his weakness and lapse of duty towards the child, he groaned in the anguish of his spirit.