Helena。　〃We　are　not　usually　interested；〃　he　remarked；　〃in　a
  person　whom　we　only　know　by　sight。〃
  〃Remember　that　he　is　a　young　man；〃　I　ventured　to　say。　This　was　a
  strong　hint；　but　the　doctor　failed　to　see　it。　He　had　evidently
  forgotten　his　own　youth。　I　made　another　attempt。
  〃And　vile　as　Helena　is；〃　I　continued；　〃we　cannot　deny　that　this
  disgrace　to　her　sex　is　a　handsome　young　lady。〃
  He　saw　it　at　last。　〃Woman's　wit！〃　he　cried。　〃You　have　hit　it；
  Miss　Jillgall。　The　young　fool　is　smitten　with　her；　and　has　given
  her　a　chance　of　making　her　escape。〃
  〃Do　you　think　she　will　take　the　chance？〃
  〃For　all　our　sakes；　I　pray　God　she　may！　But　I　don't　feel　sure
  about　it。〃
  〃Why？〃
  〃Recollect　what　you　and　Eunice　have　done。　You　have　shown　your
  suspicion　of　her　without　an　attempt　to　conceal　it。　If　you　had　put
  her　in　prison　you　could　not　have　more　completely　defeated　her
  infernal　design。　Do　you　think　she　is　a　likely　person　to　submit　to
  that；　without　an　effort　to　be　even　with　you？〃
  Just　as　he　said　those　terrifying　words；　Maria　came　back　to　us。　He
  asked　at　once　what　had　kept　her　so　long　upstairs。
  The　girl　had　evidently　something　to　say；　which　had　inflated　her
  （if　I　may　use　such　an　expression）　with　a　sense　of　her　own
  importance。
  〃Please　to　let　me　tell　it；　sir；〃　she　answered；　〃in　my　own　way。
  Miss　Helena　turned　as　pale　as　ashes　when　she　opened　the　letter；
  and　then　she　took　a　turn　in　the　room；　and　then　she　looked　at　me
  with　a　smilewell；　miss；　I　can　only　say　that　I　felt　that　smile
  in　the　small　of　my　back。　I　tried　to　get　to　the　door。　She　stopped
  me。　She　says：　'Where's　Miss　Eunice？'　I　says：　'Gone　out。'　She
  says：　'Is　there　anybody　in　the　drawing…room？'　I　says：　'No；　miss。'
  She　says：　'Tell　Miss　Jillgall　I　want　to　speak　to　her；　and　say　I
  am　waiting　in　the　drawing…room。'　It's　every　word　of　it　true！　And；
  if　a　poor　servant　may　give　an　opinion；　I　don't　like　the　look　of
  it。〃
  The　doctor　dismissed　Maria。　〃Whatever　it　is；〃　he　said　to　me；　〃you
  must　go　and　hear　it。〃
  I　am　not　a　courageous　woman；　I　expressed　myself　as　being　willing
  to　go　to　her；　if　the　doctor　went　with　me。　He　said　that　was
  impossible；　she　would　probably　refuse　to　speak　before　any
  witness；　and　certainly　before　him。　But　he　promised　to　look　after
  Philip　in　my　absence；　and　to　wait　below　if　it　really　so　happened
  that　I　wanted　him。　I　need　only　ring　the　bell；　and　he　would　come
  to　me　the　moment　he　heard　it。　Such　kindness　as　this　roused　my
  courage；　I　suppose。　At　any　rate；　I　went　upstairs。
  She　was　standing　by　the　fire…place；　with　her　elbow　on　the
  chimney…piece；　and　her　head；　resting　on　her　hand。　I　stopped　just
  inside　the　door；　waiting　to　hear　what　she　had　to　say。　In　this
  position　her　side…face　only　was　presented　to　me。　It　was　a　ghastly
  face。　The　eye　that　I　could　see　turned　wickedly　on　me　when　I　came
  inthen　turned　away　again。　Otherwise；　she　never　moved。　I　confess
  I　trembled；　but　I　did　my　best　to　disguise　it。
  She　broke　out　suddenly　with　what　she　had　to　say：　〃I　won't　allow
  this　state　of　things　to　go　on　any　longer。　My　horror　of　an
  exposure　which　will　disgrace　the　family　has　kept　me　silent；
  wrongly　silent；　so　far。　Philip's　life　is　in　danger。　I　am
  forgetting　my　duty　to　my　affianced　husband；　if　I　allow　myself　to
  be　kept　away　from　him　any　longer。　Open　those　locked　doors；　and
  relieve　me　from　the　sight　of　you。　Open　the　doors；　I　say；　or　you
  will　both　of　youyou　the　accomplice；　she　the　wretch　who　directs
  yourepent　it　to　the　end　of　your　lives。〃
  In　my　own　mind；　I　asked　myself　if　she　had　gone　mad。　But　I　only
  answered：　〃I　don't　understand　you。〃
  She　said　again：　〃You　are　Eunice's　accomplice。〃
  〃Accomplice　in　what？〃　I　asked。
  She　turned　her　head　slowly　and　faced　me。　I　shrank　from　looking　at
  her。
  〃All　the　circumstances　prove　it；〃　she　went　on。　〃I　have　supplanted
  Eunice　in　Philip's　affection。　She　was　once　engaged　to　marry　him；
  I　am　engaged　to　marry　him　now。　She　is　resolved　that　he　shall
  never　make　me　his　wife。　He　will　die　if　I　delay　any　longer。　He
  will　die　if　I　don't　crush　her；　like　the　reptile　she　is。　She　comes
  hereand　what　does　she　do？　Keeps　him　prisoner　under　her　own
  superintendence。　Who　gets　his　medicine？　She　gets　it。　Who　cooks
  his　food？　She　cooks　it。　The　doors　are　locked。　I　might　be　a
  witness　of　what　goes　on；　and　I　am　kept　out。　The　servants　who
  ought　to　wait　on　him　are　kept　out。　She　can　do　what　she　likes　with
  his　medicine；　she　can　do　what　she　likes　with　his　food：　she　is
  infuriated　with　him　for　deserting　her；　and　promising　to　marry　me。
  Give　him　back　to　my　care；　or；　dreadful　as　it　is　to　denounce　my
  own　sister；　I　shall　claim　protection　from　the　magistrates。〃
  I　lost　all　fear　of　her：　I　stepped　close　up　to　the　place　at　which
  she　was　standing；　I　cried　out：　〃Of　what；　in　God's　name；　do　you
  accuse　your　sister？〃
  She　answered：　〃I　accuse　her　of　poisoning　Philip　Dunboyne。〃
  I　ran　out　of　the　room；　I　rushed　headlong　down　the　stairs。　The
  doctor　heard　me；　and　came　running　into　the　hall。　I　caught　hold　of
  him　like　a　madwoman。　〃Euneece！〃　My　breath　was　gone；　I　could　only
  say：　〃Euneece！〃
  He　dragged　me　into　the　dining…room。　There　was　wine　on　the
  side…board；　which　he　had　ordered　medically　for　Philip。　He　forced
  me　to　drink　some　of　it。　It　ran　through　me　like　fire；　it　helped　me
  to　speak。　〃Now　tell　me；〃　he　said；　〃what　has　she　done　to　Eunice？〃
  〃She　brings　a　horrible　accusation　against　her；〃　I　answered。
  〃What　is　the　accusation？〃　I　told　him。
  He　looked　me　through　and　through。　〃Take　care！〃　he　said。　〃No
  hysterics；　no　exaggeration。　You　may　lead　to　dreadful　consequences
  if　you　are　not　sure　of　yourself。　If　it's　really　true；　say　it
  again。〃　I　said　it　againquietly　this　time。
  His　face　startled　me；　it　was　white　with　rage。　He　snatched　his　hat
  off　the　hall　table。
  〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　I　asked。
  〃My　duty。〃　He　was　out　of　the　house　before　I　could　speak　to　him
  again。
  Third　Period　_（concluded）。_
  _TROUBLES　AND　TRIUMPHS　OF　THE　FAMILY；　RELATED　BY　THE　GOVERNOR。_
  CHAPTER　LXII。
  THE　SENTENCE　PRONOUNCED。
  MARTYRS　to　gout　know；　by　sad　experience；　that　they　suffer　under
  one　of　the　most　capricious　of　maladies。　An　attack　of　this　disease
  will　shift；　in　the　most　unaccountable　manner；　from　one　part　of
  the　body　to　another；　or；　it　will　release　the　victim　when　there　is
  every　reason　to　fear　that　it　is　about　to　strengthen　its　hold　on
  him；　or；　having　shown　the　fairest　promise　of　submitting　to
  medical　treatment；　it　will　cruelly　lay　the　patient　prostrate
  again　in　a　state　of　relapse。　Adverse　fortune；　in　my　case；
  subjected　me　to　this　last　and　worst　trial　of　endurance。　Two
  months　passedmonths　of　pain　aggravated　by　anxietybefore　I　was
  able　to　help　Eunice　and　Miss　Jillgall　personally　with　my　sympathy
  and　advice。
  During　this　interval；　I　heard　regularly　from　the　friendly　and
  faithful　Selina。
  Terror　and　suspense；　courageously　endured　day　after　day；　seem　to
  have　broken　down　her　resistance；　poor　soul；　when　Eunice's　good
  name　and　Eunice's　tranquillity　were　threatened　by　the　most
  infamous　of　false　accusations。　From　that　time；　Miss　Jillgall's
  method　of　expressing　herself　betrayed　a　gradual　deterioration。　I
  shall　avoid　presenting　at　a　disadvantage　a　correspondent　who　has
  claims　on　my　gratitude；　if　I　give　the　substance　only　of　what　she
  wroteassisted　by　the　newspaper　which　she　sent　to　me；　while　the
  legal　proceedings　were　in　progress。
  Honest　indignation　does　sometimes　counsel　us　wisely。　When　the
  doctor　left　Miss　Jillgall；　in　anger　and　in　haste；　he　had
  determined　on　taking　the　course　from　which；　as　a　humane　man　and　a
  faithful　friend；　he　had　hitherto　recoiled。　It　was　no　time；　now；
  to　shrink　from　the　prospect　of　an　exposure。　The　one　hope　of
  successfully　encountering　the　vindictive　wickedness　of　Helena　lay
  in　the　resolution　to　be　beforehand　with　her；　in　the　appeal　to　the
  magistrates　with　which　she　had　threatened　Eunice　and　Miss
  Jillgall。　The　doctor's　sworn　information　stated　the　whole
  terrible　case　of　the　poisoning；　ranging　from　his　first　suspicions
  and　their　confirmation；　to　Helena's　atrocious　attempt　to　accuse
  her　innocent　sister　of　her　own　guilt。　So　firmly　were　the
  magistrates　convinced　of　the　serious　nature　of　the　case　thus
  stated；　that　they　did　not　hesitate　to　issue　their　warrant。　Among
  the　witnesses　whose　attendance　was　immediately　secured；　by　the
  legal　adviser　to　whom　the　doctor　applied；　were　the　farmer　and　his
  wife。
  Helena　was　arrested　while　she　was　dressing　to　go　out。　Her
  composure　was　not　for　a　moment　disturbed。　〃I　was　on　my　way；〃　she
  said　coolly；　〃to　make　a　statement　before　the　justices。　The　sooner
  they　hear　what　I　have　to　say　the　better。〃
  The　attempt　of　this　shameless　wretch　to　〃turn　the　tables〃　on　poor
  Eunicesuggested；　as　I　afterward　discovered；　by　the　record　of
  family　history　which　she　had　quoted　in　her　　journalwas　defeated
  with　ease。　The　farmer　and　his　wife　prove　d　the　date　at　which
  Eunice　had　left　her　place　of　residence　under　their　roof。　The
  doctor's　evidence　followed。　He　proved；　by　the　production　of　his
  professional　diary；　that　the　discovery　of　the　attempt　to　poison
  his　patient　had　taken　place　before　the　day　of　Eunice's　departure
  from　the　farm；　and　that　the　first　improvement　in　Mr。　Philip
  Dunboyne's　state　of　health　had　shown　itself　after　that　young
  lady's　arrival　to　perform　the