which had not been haunted by the vision of an angry tax-gatherer or an exasperated landlord. And yet, just at the last, she shed regretful tears, remembering stray hours of comfort, thinking of this old parlour as the living think of their beloved dead, forgetting all its faults, remembering only its better qualities.

'I don't think there's a snugger room of a winter's evening, or a better grate to draw,' she said to herself. I only hope the chimneys don't smoke at Malvina Cottage, and that there's an oven that will bake a pie. Jarred might have paid me the compliment to ask me to go over to Camberwell and see the house before he settled everything, but he always had such impetuous ways.'

Mrs. Gurner made herself a cup of tea dolefully, as if she had been infusing hemlock for a final sedative, and produced the remains of yesterday's dinner from the cupboard; but she was too depressed in spirit to care much for the good things of this life, and the blade-bone of a cold shoulder had no charm for her. She sat and sipped her tea and meditated; now shaking her head pensively with a languid sigh, now wiping a tear from her dim old eyes. By the time she had finished her third cup she had arrived at a desperate resolution.

'I'll go round to Wimpole-street, and have another look at her before I leave the neighbourhood,' she said to herself. 'I've never annoyed her, or gone near her, or put forward any claim, in all these years; but I feel as if I couldn't go across the water-for at my age I'm not likely to be coming backwards and forwards to this part of London-until I've had another look at her, and heard her pretty voice again. I don't seek for anything from her, wealthy as she is; I don't want to obtrude myself upon her; but I feel as if it would do me good to see her.'

way.

Mrs. Gurner rose, and hastened to remove the traces of her day's labour by means of mild ablutions, conducted rather upon the continental-hotel principle, of a little water in a small basin going a long She brushed and curled her front, put on a clean collar, and a large and awe-inspiring brooch of the cameo tribe, representing a straight-nosed Minerva in a helmet-a goddess whom Mrs. Gurner insisted upon mistaking for Britannia. Since the sale of the plumcoloured satin, and the disposal of the stock-in-trade, Mrs. Gurner possessed no such thing as a best gown; but she shook and brushed her every-day raiment, and contrived to make herself tolerably tidy. As she contemplated her front and bonnet sideways in the small and somewhat cloudy looking-glass, she flattered herself that there could be no mistake as to her pretensions to gentility.

It was only six o'clock, and she knew that Jarred, pleased with Malvina Cottage as a child with a new toy, was not likely to return till long after dark. She had laid in provision for his supper-a couple of pork-chops with the kidney in them-aud felt easy in her

THIRD SERIES, VOL. V. F.S. VOL. XXV.

K

mind; so she locked the parlour-door behind her, slipped the key under the mat—an agreed-upon hiding-place—and set out upon her errand.

She went by various small streets to Regent-street, and thence across Cavendish-square to Wigmore-street, and into Wimpolestreet, the professional aspect of which thoroughfare impressed her strongly. She walked briskly along, looking at the numbers, till she came to Dr. Ollivant's door. Here she stopped, and knocked a timorous double-knock and jingled the bell feebly.

'I feel that faint, that I'm sure I shall drop if the door isn't opened quick,' she said to herself.

There was some delay before the door opened, but Mrs. Gurner contrived to maintain her equilibrium, and had just strength to inform the butler, in a faint voice, that she wished to see Mrs. Ollivant on particular business.

'I don't think my mistress will be able to see you,' the man answered; 'my master is very ill, and Mrs. Ollivant is in his room.'

O dear!' sighed Mrs. Gurner, I'd set my heart upon seeing her this evening.'

'If it's an application for relief, or anything in that way, it's not the least use,' said the butler, almost shutting the door in the timorous visitor's face.

At this insult Mrs. Gurner plucked up her spirit.

'I'm not a pauper, though I do not come in my carriage-andpair,' she replied. 'Perhaps if you'll be good enough to say that a connection of your mistress's wishes to have a few words with her, Mrs. Ollivant will be good enough to see me.'

The man looked doubtful. After all, this shabby-genteel female might be a poor relation of his master's wife's. Needy connections are crab-apples that grow upon every family tree. Perhaps it might be an unwise thing to be churlish to this elderly applicant.

If you'd like to step in and wait for a few minutes, I'll send up your name,' said the butler.

Whereupon Mrs. Gurner entered the hall, and was ushered into the dining-room-a dismal apartment in the ghastly London twilight, and containing no portable property within reach of the intruder, should she be an impostor with larcenous intentions. The sideboard was locked; even the dryasdust books and pamphlets, usually exposed upon the table for the entertainment of patients, had been bundled into a heap and put away by the careful seneschal.

Your name, if you please, ma'am.'

'Gurner,' replied the visitor hesitatingly, as if rather ashamed of that cognomen.

The butler retired, and sent a housemaid up to the sick-room,

with the intimation that a person by the name of Gurner, and asserting herself to be a connection of Mrs. Ollivant junior, was waiting in the dining-room; he himself keeping watch and ward over the door of that apartment, lest Mrs. Gurner should levant with the fireirons or the black marble time-piece, or should make a raid upon the property in the hall.

Flora came out of the sick-room at the housemaid's summons, fluttered and wondering. The girl had forgotten Mrs. Gurner's name, and had only contrived to say that a relation of her mistress's was waiting below; a startling announcement to Flora, who hardly knew of the existence of any one claiming kindred with her.

The doctor was asleep-that fitful slumber of exhaustion which seems to give so little rest. He was well guarded, for his mother had come from the Willows, and kept watch by his pillow night and day, whereby the professional nurses found their labours wondrously lightened.

'What shall I do, mamma ?' said Flora helplessly, when the housemaid had stumbled through her message.

'You had better see this person, I suppose, my love. There can be no harm in seeing her.'

So Flora went reluctantly to her unknown visitor, the butler opening the dining-room door with his grandest air as he ushered her in.

Shall I bring the lamp, ma'am ?'

'If you please,' said Flora, almost afraid at finding herself in the semi-darkness with a stranger.

'I trust you will forgive my intruding upon you at such a time, Mrs. Ollivant,' began the visitor.

Flora gave a start of surprise.

I think I have heard your voice before,' she exclaimed.
Yes, my dear young lady, we have met once before.'

'O, you wicked old woman!' cried Flora, kindling with sudden indignation. I know you quite well. How dare you come here and pretend that you are a relation of mine? You above all other people! You who might have saved me years of agony if you had only spoken the truth when you came to see me at Kensington! You who knew that I was breaking my heart for an imaginary grief; that Dr. Ollivant, the best and noblest of men, was weighed down by the burden of an imaginary crime!'

'Circumstances alter cases, my dear young lady,' pleaded Mrs. Gurner. There were reasons why I could not speak so freely that day as I should like to have spoken. My granddaughter's happiness and prosperity in life depended upon my keeping the secret—a girl that was brought up by me from a sickly child of three years old, and was like a daughter to me. I said all that I dared venture upon saying. I hinted to you that it was foolish to grieve for a sweet