Her action had its effect, for the door was slowly pressed open again, and the bow of the washed-out cotton handkerchief which bandaged the woman's face gradually appeared, the ends, which stuck up like a small pair of horns, trembling visibly. Then by very small degrees the woman's forehead and the rest of the face appeared, with the eyes showing the white all round, as their owner gazed at the prisoner with her usual scared look intensified. "Pray come in, Becky," said Kate, softly; and she drew back towards a chair, so as to try and inspire a little confidence. The head was slowly shaken, and the door drawn once more tightly against the woman's long thin neck. "Whatcher want?" she said, faintly. "I want you to come in and talk to me," said Kate in a low, appealing tone. "I want you to help me." "Dursn't." "Yes, yes, you dare. Pray, pray don't say that I have no one to ask but you. Oh, Becky, Becky, I am so unhappy. If you have a woman's heart within your breast, have pity on me!" "Gug!" A spasm contracted the pallid face as a violent sob escaped from her lips, and the tears began to flow from the dilated eyes, and were accompanied by unpleasant sniffs. "Don't make me cr-cr-cry, miss, please." "No, no, don't cry, Becky dear, pray," whispered Kate, anxiously. "You make me, miss--going on like that; and d-don't call me dear, please. I ain't dear to nobody; I'm a miserable wretch." "I always pitied you, Becky, but you never would let me be kind to you." "N-no, miss. It don't do no good. On'y makes me mis'rable." "But I must be; I will be kind to you, Becky, and try and make you happy," whispered Kate. "Tain't to be done, miss, till I die," said the woman, sadly; and then there was a triumphant light in her eyes, and her face lit up as she said more firmly, "but I'm going to be happy then." "Yes, yes, and I'll try to make you happy while you live; but you will help me, dear?" The poor creature shook her head. "Yes, you will--I'm sure you will," pleaded Kate. "But pray come in." "Dursn't, miss." "But I am in such trouble, Becky." "Yes, I know; he wants to marry you, and he's going to keep you locked up till he does. I know." "Yes, yes; and I want to get away." "But you can't," whispered the woman, and she withdrew her head, and Kate in her despair thought she had gone. But the head reappeared slowly. "Nobody watching," she whispered. "I must go away, and you must help me, Becky," whispered Kate. "It's no good. He won't let you, miss. But don't you marry him." "Never!" cried Kate. "Hush, or they'll hear you; and mother's siding with him, and going to help him. She says he's an angel, but he's all smooth smiles, and talks to you like a saint, but he's a horrid wretch." "Yes, yes. But now listen to me." "Yes, I'm a-listening, miss. It's all because you're so pretty and handsome, and got lots o' money, aintcher?" "Yes, unhappily," sighed Kate.