“Then why would you have done it at all, even if you had been well enough, if it was wrong?” asked Mrs. Gregory, more puzzled than ever. “Because I was afraid to refuse,” said Helen, in a low tone. “It was nothing that I required of you, I am sure,” said her mistress. “No.” “It surely could not be that your grandfather would require of you any thing improper?” Helen was silent. “Then it is so. My dear child,” pursued the lady, kindly, “I have lived longer than you, and naturally have more knowledge of the world. I need not say that I have every disposition to befriend you, not only for your own sake, but for the sake of my own little Helen, who, had she remained to me, would have been about your age. Will you not, then, confide in me so far as to inform me what it was that your grandfather required of you?” Helen considered a moment, and then, with a rapidity of decision which sometimes comes after long and anxious thought, decided to communicate every thing. “I will tell you every thing,” she said, “if you will promise that no harm shall come to the man who brought me here.” “Your grandfather?” “Will you promise?” asked Helen, anxiously. “Yes, Helen,” said Mrs. Gregory: “though I cannot conceive what is to be the nature of your revelation, I will promise that no harm shall befall your grandfather.” “You are so good and kind,” said the child, “that I can trust to what you say. Then I will tell you, first of all, that the one who came with me is not my grandfather.” “Not your grandfather?” echoed Mrs. Gregory, in surprise. “No. He is not even an old man. He only dressed himself up so when he came here.” “And what made him do that?” “Because he thought you would pity him, and be more ready to take me.” “Is he any relation to you?” “I thought he was my uncle,” returned Helen, “until he came here last time. Then he told me that he was no relation.” “Where are your relations?” “I don’t know,” said Helen, thoughtfully. “I suppose I must have had some once; but I can’t remember any thing about them. I have lived with my—I mean Mr. Armstrong, ever since I can recollect.” “And what was it he wanted you to do? Why was he so anxious to have you come here?” “Because⸺ You mustn’t blame me,” said Helen, earnestly, lifting her eyes to Mrs. Gregory’s face; “for it made me very unhappy to think of doing it. But he wanted me to leave the door open to-morrow night, so that he could get in and carry off the silver.” “Is it possible?” exclaimed Mrs. Gregory. “And he wished to implicate you in such a crime?” “Yes, ma’am,” said Helen. “He told me that was what he wanted me to come here for; and then I didn’t want to come at all. But he threatened me if I did not. Then, when he was here last time, I tried to persuade him to give up his design; but he wouldn’t listen to me, and I didn’t dare to say any thing more.”