Both looked up; and Evangeline, with a cry of passionate joy, leaped from her seat and threw herself into the arms of a lady who stood upon the threshold. “Helen!--dearest Helen!” she cried, with intense emotion; “Helen, Helen, such affliction, such trouble has befallen----” She hid her face, sobbing upon her sister’s shoulder. Charley glided at once out of the room; and the two sisters, after the first burst of emotion was over, sat down, and then Evangeline related, interrupted only with hysteric sobs, all that had happened, dwelling upon the mysterious absence of her father, of whom not a single trace had been discovered, though every effort had been made, and upon the pitiable condition to which their mother had been reduced. Helen, in the midst of their talk, rose up, and said, with a strong inspiration of her breath-- “Evangeline, I will see my mother now. Lead me to her.” Evangeline took her hand, and together they entered the darkened chamber where the wreck of the proud woman lay in hopeless imbecility. Helen grew pale as ashes as she entered the room. Her heart throbbed painfully. She found herself face to face with old Mrs. Truebody; and, as the good old creature started and wrung her hands, she felt her breath come and go in short hysteric gasps. With a strong effort she drew the curtain aside and beheld the white, pinched, and drawn features of her mother screwed up into a smile--such a smile! Anything more terribly vacant it is impossible to conceive. Her eyes, divested of all expression, roamed to and fro without any apparent object. She gibbered, and babbled, and clutched at the bedclothes with her fingers. Sometimes she nodded her head, and then a short, screeching laugh would be heard. Helen, with a burst of anguish, fell upon her knees, and said, in accents of acute mental suffering-- “Mother! mother! look upon me--speak to me--I am Helen, your penitent child, come back to strive to compensate you for the pangs and shame I have occasioned you. Mother! for mercy sake recognise me! See, I am Helen--she of whom you were so proud, and who so crushed all the hopes you raised. Look at me; speak to me; if only to spurn me; but speak to me, mother--in the name of Heaven’s holy charity, speak to me!” Mrs. Grahame at the sound of her voice, turned her head, but she only laughed vacantly, and nodded, and screeched again. Helen wept frantically. She took her mother’s hand and kissed it wildly. She bent over her and caressed her in the throes of the deepest emotion, but without eliciting one single token of recognition. Mrs. Truebody at length came forward and took Helen by the arm and waist--