“Hush, Everage, there will be nothing of that sort. But you have not yet told me what it was that tempted you to load thus your conscience.” “I will tell you all—I will keep nothing back, and then you can do as you please.” But, before he could say another word, the waiter opened the door, and announced the cab that had been ordered. Alexander and Everage left the house, Everage tottering with weakness and scarcely able to walk without the support of Alexander’s arm, which was readily given him. Everage gave the order. “Black street, Blackfriars’ Road.” And then, with the help of Alexander, entered the cab. When they were both seated and the vehicle was in motion, Everage commenced the story of little Lenny’s abduction, and the causes that led to the act. With a shame-bowed head, in a broken and almost inaudible voice, he spoke of the bitterness of his poverty and his servitude; of the love, which was agony, for his beautiful, pale-faced wife, and lovely, fading little girls; of the jealousy with which he saw the Killcrichtoun estate, that might have been his own, and the salvation of his famishing family, pass away to a foreigner, so wealthy that he cared nothing for the half-sterile Highland acres; of his belief that the present baron’s life was so precarious that in a very short time no one but little Lenny would stand between himself and the inheritance of Killcrichtoun; and of the intensity of the temptation that finally maddened and conquered him, and drew him on to crime; and finally, again he spoke of the fierce remorse that like the fires of Tophet devoured his life. “And now,” he concluded, “do with me what you will! I have nothing to say in my defense, nothing whatever! You can prosecute me for the abduction. You can send me to penal servitude for Heaven knows how many years! It will be just! I only entreat you, in any case, not to let my innocent family starve!” “My poor Everage! I could not look in your face and see the wreck remorse has made of you, and raise my hand or voice against you! ‘Penal servitude!’ Your whole life has been penal servitude! Besides, besides, in my more favored position, without any of the temptations that beset you, I myself have been too great a sinner to dare to be a harsh judge! In your position, Everage, heaven knows, I might have been tempted to do the same things!” said Alexander, gravely. “But I never meant to harm the child. I would have taken the best care of him I could.” “I believe you, Everage. And let me find the child alive and well, and let me have the happiness of laying him upon his mother’s lap; and then let the whole matter pass into forgetfulness. It shall not in any way interfere with my plans for your welfare.” “God bless you, sir!” wept the poor gentleman; “God, in his great mercy, bless you!” “Black street, sir,” said the cabman, pulling up his horses and waiting further orders.