'So long! There was a man once who, at the bidding of a magician, but dipped his head into a bucket of water----' he paused moodily. 'Yes, yes!' exclaimed the girl eagerly, advancing a step towards him, with a desire to propitiate him. 'Go on. Tell me about him. I'm fond of stories about magicians.' He stared at her. 'Injured innocence,' he said, 'speak when you're spoken to.' She tossed her head, and retreated, and uncle Bryan again questioned my mother. 'How long has this little----' 'Young lady,' interposed the girl, with rather a comical assertion of independence. --'This little girl--how long has she been here?' 'About an hour, Bryan.' 'Long enough, I see, to make herself quite at home.' He seemed to be at a loss for words, and sat drumming his fingers on the table, moving his lips as if he were holding converse with them, and with his eyes turned from us. In the silence that ensued, the girl stole towards him. My mother's footstool was near his chair, and she sat upon it, and resting her hand timidly on his knee, said, in a sweet pleading voice, 'I wish you would be kind to me.' Her face was upturned to his. He looked down upon it, and placing his hands on her shoulders, said in a tone which was both low and bitter, which was harsh from passion and tender from a softer emotion which he could not control, 'For God's sake, child, tell me who you are! What is your name?' 'My name is Jessie Trim.' CHAPTER XIII. A SUDDEN SHOCK. 'Emma,' said my uncle, 'can you find something to do for a few minutes? Chris can shut up the shop.' We went out of the parlour together, and I put up the shutters, and bolted them. Then my mother and I went downstairs to the kitchen, and my mother set light to the fire, and warmed up what remained of the day's dinner. Our usual supper was bread-and-cheese. 'She must be hungry,' said my mother, and I think it will please your uncle.' 'I am glad she is going to stay, mother. Do you think she will stop altogether with us?' 'I have no idea, child.' 'Jessie Trim! It's a pretty name, isn't it? Jessie, Jessie! Mother, why didn't you ask her her name when she came in?' 'She came to see your uncle, Chris. We must never forget one thing, my dear. This is his house, and he has been very kind to us.' 'He would be angry if he heard you say so.' 'That is his nature, and I should not say it to him. The least we can do in return for all his goodness is to study him in every possible way in our power. To have asked her all about herself might have been like stealing into his confidence. He may have secrets which he would not wish us to know.' 'Secrets! Do you think _she_ is one of them?' 'How can she be? But let you and me make up our minds, my dear--I made up mine a long time ago, Chris--not to be too curious concerning anything your uncle does. If he wished us to know anything, he would tell us of his own free will.'