The truth was, that, since his fall, he had viewed every woman with different eyes from those through which he had before surveyed the female sex. When he himself was chaste and pure, he observed only the feminine mind and manner:—now his glances studied and discriminated between external attractions. His moral survey had become a sensual one. "But what?" he said, when Katherine hesitated. "Do you object to leave your uncle?" "I should be a hypocrite were I to say that I object to leave him," was the immediate answer. "Nevertheless, if he demanded my services, I would remain with him, through gratitude for the bread which he gave me, and the asylum which he afforded me, when I was a child and unable to earn either. But he would not seek to retain me, I know; for he does not—he cannot love me! Still, there is one poor creature in this house——" "My housekeeper has told me of him. You mean your uncle's son?" said Reginald. "I do, sir. He has no friend in the world but me; and, though my intercessions do not save him from much bad treatment, still I have studied to console him." "If he be grateful, he will feel pleased to think that you may be removed to a happier situation," said the rector. "True!" exclaimed Kate. "And if I only earned more money than I do here, I should be able to provide him with a great many little comforts." "Assuredly," replied the fashionable preacher, who during this colloquy had gradually drawn his chair closer to that of the young maiden. "The gentleman, to whom I have before alluded, called upon me yesterday. It appears he learnt from the policeman that you had been educated at the school in my district, and that my housekeeper was well acquainted with you. He nobly offered to contribute a sum of money towards settling you in some comfortable manner." "The generous stranger!" exclaimed Kate. "What is his name, sir—that I may pray for him?" "Mr. Markham——" "Markham!" cried the young girl, strangely excited by the mention of that name. "Yes. Have you ever heard of him before?" asked the rector, surprised at the impression thus produced. Katherine appeared to reflect profoundly for some moments; then, opening a secret drawer of her work-box, she drew forth a small satin bag, carefully sewed all round. She took her scissors and unpicked the thread from one end of the bag. The rector watched her attentively, and with as much surprise as interest. Having thus opened one extremity of the bag, she inserted her delicate fingers, and produced a sheet of letter-paper, folded, and dingy with age. Handing it to the rector, she observed, with tears streaming down her cheeks, "These were the last words my mother ever wrote; and she had lost the use of her speech ere she penned them." Reginald Tracy unfolded the letter, and read as follows:——