As she was leaving the place, she stopped
and looked round; then hesitated a little
before she said:

"I should like to have some little thing to
remind me of Bessy."

Instantly Mary's generosity was keenly
alive. What could they give? And on Margaret's
singling out a little common drinking-cup,
which she remembered as the one always
standing by Bessy's side with drink for her
feverish lips, Mary said:

"Oh, take summut better; that only cost
fourpence!"

"That will do, thank you," said Margaret;
and she went quickly away, while the light
caused by the pleasure of having something
to give yet lingered on Mary's face.

"Now to Mrs. Thornton's," thought she to
herself. "It must be done." But she looked
rather rigid and pale at the thoughts of it,
and had hard work to find the exact words
in which to explain to her aunt who Mrs.
Thornton was, and why she should go to bid
her farewell.

They (for Mrs. Shaw alighted here) were
shown into the drawing-room, in which a fire
had only just been kindled. Mrs. Shaw huddled
herself up in her shawl, and shivered.

"What an icy room!" she said.

They had to wait for some time before
Mrs. Thornton entered. There was some
softening in her heart towards Margaret now
she was going away out of her sight. She
remembered her spirit, as shown at various
times and places, even more than the patience
with which she had endured long and wearing
cares. Her countenance was blander
than usual, as she greeted her; there was
even a shade of tenderness in her manner, as
she noticed the white, tear-swollen face, and
the quiver in the voice which Margaret tried
to make so steady.

"Allow me to introduce my aunt, Mrs.
Shaw. I am going away from Milton to-morrow;
I do not know if you are aware of
it; but I wanted to see you once again, Mrs.
Thornton, to- to apologise for my manner
the last time I saw you; and to say that
I am sure you meant kindly- however much
we may have. misunderstood each other."

Mrs. Shaw looked extremely perplexed by
what Margaret had said. Thanks for kindness!
and apologies for failure in good
manners! But Mrs. Thornton replied:

"Miss Hale, I am glad you do me justice.
I did no more than I believed to be my duty
in remonstrating with you as I did. I have
always desired to act the part of a friend to
you. I am glad you do me justice."

"And," said Margaret, blushing excessively
as she spoke, "will you do me justice,
and believe that, though I cannot- I do
not choose- to give explanations of my
conduct, I have not acted in the unbecoming
way you apprehended?"

Margaret's voice was so soft, and her eyes
so pleading, that Mrs. Thornton was for once
affected by the charm of manner to which
she had hitherto proved herself invulnerable.

" Yes, I do believe you. Let us say no
more about it. Where are you going to
reside, Miss Hale? I understood from Mr.
Bell that you were going to leave Milton.
You never liked Milton, you know," said
Mrs. Thornton, with a sort of grim smile;
"but, for all that, you must not expect me
to congratulate you on quitting it. Where
shall you live?"

"With my aunt," replied Margaret, turning
towards Mrs. Shaw.

"My niece will reside with me in Harley
Street. She is almost like a daughter to
me," said Mrs. Shaw, looking fondly at
Margaret; "and I am glad to acknowledge
my own obligation for any kindness that has
been shown to her. If you and your husband
ever come to town, my son and daughter,
Captain and Mrs. Lennox, will, I am sure, join
with me in wishing to do anything in our
power to show you attention."

Mrs. Thornton thought in her own mind,
that Margaret had not taken much care to
enlighten her aunt as to the relationship
between the Mr. and Mrs. Thornton, towards
whom the fine-lady aunt was extending her
soft patronage; so she answered shortly,

"My husband is dead. Mr. Thornton is
my son. I never go to London; so I am not
likely to be able to avail myself of your polite
offers."

At this instant Mr. Thornton entered the
room; he had only just returned from Oxford.
His mourning suit spoke of the reason
that had called him there.

"John," said his mother, "this lady is
Mrs. Shaw, Miss Hale's aunt. I am sorry to
say, that Miss Hale's call is to wish us
good-bye."

"You are going, then!" said he, in a low
voice.

"Yes," said Margaret. "We leave to-morrow."

"My son-in-law comes this evening to
escort us," said Mrs. Shaw.

Mr. Thornton turned away. He had not
sat down, and now he seemed to be examining
something on the table, almost as
if he had discovered an unopened letter,
which had made him forget the present
company. He did not even seem to be aware
when they got up to take leave. He started
forwards, however, to hand Mrs. Shaw down
to the carriage. As it drove up, he and
Margaret stood close together on the door-step,
and it was impossible but that the
recollection of the day of the riot should force
itself into both their minds. Into his it came
associated with the speeches of the following
day; her passionate declaration that there
was not a man in all that violent and desperate
crowd, for whom she did not care as
much as for him. And at the remembrance
of her taunting words, his brow grew stern,
though his heart beat thick with longing