to　work　with　querulous　and　fretful　haste　to　pack　her　wardrobe。　　She
  tore　her　best　dress　in　taking　it　from　the　hook　on　which　it　hung：
  she　scratched　her　soft　hands　twice　with　an　ambushed　pin。　　All　the
  while；　she　kept　up　an　indignant　commentary　on　the　events　of　the
  past　few　moments。　　She　said　to　herself　she　saw　it　all。　　Tretherick
  had　sent　for　this　child　of　his　first　wifethis　child　of　whose
  existence　he　had　never　seemed　to　carejust　to　insult　her；　to　fill
  her　place。　　Doubtless　the　first　wife　herself　would　follow　soon；　or
  perhaps　there　would　be　a　third。　　Red　hair；　not　auburn；　but　REDof
  course　the　child；　this　Caroline；　looked　like　its　mother；　and；　if
  so；　she　was　anything　but　pretty。　　Or　the　whole　thing　had　been
  prepared：　this　red…haired　child；　the　image　of　its　mother；　had　been
  kept　at　a　convenient　distance　at　Sacramento；　ready　to　be　sent　for
  when　needed。　　She　remembered　his　occasional　visits　there　on
  business；　as　he　said。　　Perhaps　the　mother　already　was　there；　but
  no；　she　had　gone　East。　　Nevertheless；　Mrs。　Tretherick；　in　her　then
  state　of　mind；　preferred　to　dwell　upon　the　fact　that　she　might　be
  there。　　She　was　dimly　conscious；　also；　of　a　certain　satisfaction　in
  exaggerating　her　feelings。　　Surely　no　woman　had　ever　been　so
  shamefully　abused。　　In　fancy；　she　sketched　a　picture　of　herself
  sitting　alone　and　deserted；　at　sunset；　among　the　fallen　columns　of
  a　ruined　temple；　in　a　melancholy　yet　graceful　attitude；　while　her
  husband　drove　rapidly　away　in　a　luxurious　coach…and…four；　with　a
  red…haired　woman　at　his　side。　　Sitting　upon　the　trunk　she　had　just
  packed；　she　partly　composed　a　lugubrious　poem　describing　her
  sufferings　as；　wandering　alone　and　poorly　clad；　she　came　upon　her
  husband　and　〃another〃　flaunting　in　silks　and　diamonds。　　She
  pictured　herself　dying　of　consumption；　brought　on　by　sorrowa
  beautiful　wreck；　yet　still　fascinating；　gazed　upon　adoringly　by　the
  editor　of　the　AVALANCHE　and　Colonel　Starbottle。　　And　where　was
  Colonel　Starbottle　all　this　while？　　Why　didn't　he　come？　　He；　at
  least；　understood　her。　　Heshe　laughed　the　reckless；　light　laugh
  of　a　few　moments　before；　and　then　her　face　suddenly　grew　grave；　as
  it　had　not　a　few　moments　before。
  What　was　that　little　red…haired　imp　doing　all　this　time？　　Why　was
  she　so　quiet？　　She　opened　the　door　noiselessly；　and　listened。　　She
  fancied　that　she　heard；　above　the　multitudinous　small　noises　and
  creakings　and　warpings　of　the　vacant　house；　a　smaller　voice　singing
  on　the　floor　above。　　This；　as　she　remembered；　was　only　an　open
  attic　that　had　been　used　as　a　storeroom。　　With　a　half…guilty
  consciousness；　she　crept　softly　upstairs　and；　pushing　the　door
  partly　open；　looked　within。
  Athwart　the　long；　low…studded　attic；　a　slant　sunbeam　from　a　single
  small　window　lay；　filled　with　dancing　motes；　and　only　half
  illuminating　the　barren；　dreary　apartment。　　In　the　ray　of　this
  sunbeam　she　saw　the　child's　glowing　hair；　as　if　crowned　by　a　red
  aureole；　as　she　sat　upon　the　floor　with　her　exaggerated　doll
  between　her　knees。　　She　appeared　to　be　talking　to　it；　and　it　was
  not　long　before　Mrs。　Tretherick　observed　that　she　was　rehearsing
  the　interview　of　a　half…hour　before。　　She　catechized　the　doll
  severely；　cross…examining　it　in　regard　to　the　duration　of　its　stay
  there；　and　generally　on　the　measure　of　time。　　The　imitation　of　Mrs。
  Tretherick's　manner　was　exceedingly　successful；　and　the
  conversation　almost　a　literal　reproduction；　with　a　single
  exception。　　After　she　had　informed　the　doll　that　she　was　not　her
  mother；　at　the　close　of　the　interview　she　added　pathetically；　〃that
  if　she　was　dood；　very　dood；　she　might　be　her　mamma；　and　love　her
  very　much。〃
  I　have　already　hinted　that　Mrs。　Tretherick　was　deficient　in　a　sense
  of　humor。　　Perhaps　it　was　for　this　reason　that　this　whole　scene
  affected　her　most　unpleasantly；　and　the　conclusion　sent　the　blood
  tingling　to　her　cheek。　　There　was　something；　too；　inconceivably
  lonely　in　the　situation。　　The　unfurnished　vacant　room；　the　half…
  lights；　the　monstrous　doll；　whose　very　size　seemed　to　give　a
  pathetic　significance　to　its　speechlessness；　the　smallness　of　the
  one　animate；　self…centered　figureall　these　touched　more　or　less
  deeply　the　half…poetic　sensibilities　of　the　woman。　　She　could　not
  help　utilizing　the　impression　as　she　stood　there；　and　thought　what
  a　fine　poem　might　be　constructed　from　this　material　if　the　room
  were　a　little　darker；　the　child　loneliersay；　sitting　beside　a
  dead　mother's　bier；　and　the　wind　wailing　in　the　turrets。　　And　then
  she　suddenly　heard　footsteps　at　the　door　below；　and　recognized　the
  tread　of　the　colonel's　cane。
  She　flew　swiftly　down　the　stairs；　and　encountered　the　colonel　in
  the　hall。　　Here　she　poured　into　his　astonished　ear　a　voluble　and
  exaggerated　statement　of　her　discovery；　and　indignant　recital　of
  her　wrongs。　　〃Don't　tell　me　the　whole　thing　wasn't　arranged
  beforehand；　for　I　know　it　was！〃　she　almost　screamed。　　〃And　think；〃
  she　added；　〃of　the　heartlessness　of　the　wretch；　leaving　his　own
  child　alone　here　in　that　way。〃
  〃It's　a　blank　shame！〃　stammered　the　colonel；　without　the　least　idea
  of　what　he　was　talking　about。　　In　fact；　utterly　unable　as　he　was　to
  comprehend　a　reason　for　the　woman's　excitement；　with　his　estimate
  of　her　character；　I　fear　he　showed　it　more　plainly　than　he
  intended。　　He　stammered；　expanded　his　chest；　looked　stern；　gallant；
  tender；　but　all　unintelligently。　　Mrs。　Tretherick；　for　an　instant；
  experienced　a　sickening　doubt　of　the　existence　of　natures　in
  perfect　affinity。
  〃It's　of　no　use；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick　with　sudden　vehemence；　in
  answer　to　some　inaudible　remark　of　the　colonel's；　and　withdrawing
  her　hand　from　the　fervent　grasp　of　that　ardent　and　sympathetic　man。
  〃It's　of　no　use：　my　mind　is　made　up。　　You　can　send　for　my　trunk　as
  soon　as　you　like；　but　I　shall　stay　here；　and　confront　that　man　with
  the　proof　of　his　vileness。　　I　will　put　him　face　to　face　with　his
  infamy。〃
  I　do　not　know　whether　Colonel　Starbottle　thoroughly　appreciated　the
  convincing　proof　of　Tretherick's　unfaithfulness　and　malignity
  afforded　by　the　damning　evidence　of　the　existence　of　Tretherick's
  own　child　in　his　own　house。　　He　was　dimly　aware；　however；　of　some
  unforeseen　obstacle　to　the　perfect　expression　of　the　infinite
  longing　of　his　own　sentimental　nature。　　But；　before　he　could　say
  anything；　Carry　appeared　on　the　landing　above　them；　looking
  timidly；　and　yet　half…critically；　at　the　pair。
  〃That's　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick　excitedly。　　In　her　deepest
  emotions；　in　either　verse　or　prose；　she　rose　above　a　consideration
  of　grammatical　construction。
  〃Ah！〃　said　the　colonel；　with　a　sudden　assumption　of　parental
  affection　and　jocularity　that　was　glaringly　unreal　and　affected。
  〃Ah！　pretty　little　girl；　pretty　little　girl！　　How　do　you　do？　　How
  are　you？　　You　find　yourself　pretty　well；　do　you；　pretty　little
  girl？〃　　The　colonel's　impulse　also　was　to　expand　his　chest　and
  swing　his　cane；　until　it　occurred　to　him　that　this　action　might　be
  ineffective　with　a　child　of　six　or　seven。　　Carry；　however；　took　no
  immediate　notice　of　this　advance；　but　further　discomposed　the
  chivalrous　colonel　by　running　quickly　to　Mrs。　Tretherick　and　hiding
  herself；　as　if　for　protection；　in　the　folds　of　her　gown。
  Nevertheless；　the　colonel　was　not　vanquished。　　Falling　back　into　an
  attitude　of　respectful　admiration；　he　pointed　out　a　marvelous
  resemblance　to　the　〃Madonna　and　Child。〃　　Mrs。　Tretherick　simpered；
  but　did　not　dislodge　Carry　as　before。　　There　was　an　awkward　pause
  for　a　moment；　and　then　Mrs。　Tretherick；　motioning　significantly　to
  the　child；　said　in　a　whisper：　〃Go　now。　　Don't　come　here　again；　but
  meet　me　tonight　at　the　hotel。〃　　She　extended　her　hand：　the　colonel
  bent　over　it　gallantly　and；　raising　his　hat；　the　next　moment　was
  gone。
  〃Do　you　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick　with　an　embarrassed　voice　and
  a　prodigious　blush；　looking　down；　and　addressing　the　fiery　curls
  just　visible　in　the　folds　of　her　dress〃do　you　think　you　will　be
  'dood'　if　I　let　you　stay　in　here　and　sit　with　me？〃
  〃And　let　me　tall　you　Mamma？〃　queried　Carry；　looking　up。
  〃And　let　you　call　me　Mamma！〃　assented　Mrs。　Tretherick　with　an
  embarrassed　laugh。
  〃Yeth；〃　said　Carry　promptly。
  They　entered　the　bedroom　together。　　Carry's　eye　instantly　caught
  sight　of　the　trunk。
  〃Are　you　dowin'　away　adain；　Mamma？〃　she　said　with　a　quick　nervous
  look；　and　a　clutch　at　the　woman's　dress。
  〃No…o；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick；　looking　out　of　the　window。
  〃Only　playing　your　dowin'　away；〃　suggested　Carry　with　a　laugh。
  〃Let　me　play　too。〃
  Mrs。　Tretherick　assented。　　Carry　flew　into　the　next　room；　and
  presently　reappeared　dragging　a　small　trunk；　into　which　she　gravely
  proceeded　to　pack　her　clothes。　　Mrs。　Tretherick　noticed　that　they
  were　not　many。　　A　question　or　two　regarding　them　brought　out　some
  further　replies　from　the　child；　and　before　many　minutes　had
  elapsed；　Mrs。　Tretherick　was　in　possession　of　all　her　e