hand；　the　way　he　wrought　on　me！　　O　villain！　villain！　　Uncle；
  forgive　your　poor　silly　niece；　that　the　world　is　too　wicked　and　too
  clever　for　her　to　live　in。〃
  〃Because　you　are　too　good　and　innocent；〃　said　Uncle　Philip。
  〃There；　don't　you　be　down…hearted。　　I'll　soon　bring　you　two
  together　againa　couple　of　ninnies。　　I'll　tell　you　what　is　the
  first　thing：　you　must　come　and　live　with　me。　　Come　at　once；　bag　and
  baggage。　　He　won't　show　here；　the　sulky　brute。〃
  Philip　Staines　had　a　large　house　in　Cavendish　Square；　a　crusty　old
  patient；　like　himself；　had　left　him。　　It　was　his　humor　to　live　in　a
  corner　of　this　mansion；　though　the　whole　was　capitally　furnished　by
  his　judicious　purchases　at　auctions。
  He　gave　Rosa　and　her　boy　and　his　nurse　the　entire　first　floor；　and
  told　her　she　was　there　for　life。　　〃Look　here；〃　said　he；　〃this　last
  affair　has　opened　my　eyes。　　Such　women　as　you　are　the　sweeteners　of
  existence。　　You　leave　my　roof　no　more。　　Your　husband　will　make　the
  same　discovery。　　Let　him　run　about；　and　be　miserable　a　bit。　　He
  will　have　to　come　to　book。〃
  She　shook　her　head　sadly。
  〃My　Christopher　will　never　say　a　harsh　word　to　me。　　All　the　worse
  for　me。　　He　will　quietly　abandon　a　creature　so　inferior　to　him。〃
  〃Stuff！〃
  Now；　she　was　always　running　to　the　window；　in　hope　that　Christopher
  would　call　on　his　uncle；　and　that　she　might　see　him；　and　one　day
  she　gave　a　scream　so　eloquent；　Philip　knew　what　it　meant。　　〃Get　you
  behind　that　screen；　you　and　your　boy；〃　said　he；　〃and　be　as　still　as
  mice。　　Stop！　give　me　that　letter　the　scoundrel　forged；　and　the
  ring。〃
  This　was　hardly　done；　and　Rosa　out　of　sight；　and　trembling　from
  head　to　foot；　when　Christopher　was　announced。　　Philip　received　him
  very　affectionately；　but　wasted　no　time。
  〃Been　to　Kent　Villa　yet？〃
  〃No；〃　was　the　grim　reply。
  〃Why　not？〃
  〃Because　I　have　sworn　never　to　say　an　angry　word　to　her　again；　and；
  if　I　was　to　go　there；　I　should　say　a　good　many　angry　ones。　　Oh；
  when　I　think　that　her　folly　drove　me　to　sea；　to　do　my　best　for　her；
  and　that　I　was　nearer　death　for　that　woman　than　ever　man　was；　and
  lost　my　reason　for　her；　and　went　through　toil　and　privations；
  hunger；　exile；　mainly　for　her；　and　then　to　find　the　banns　cried　in
  open　church；　with　that　scoundrel！say　no　more；　uncle。　　I　shall
  never　reproach　her；　and　never　forgive　her。〃
  〃She　was　deceived。〃
  〃I　don't　doubt　that；　but　nobody　has　a　right　to　be　so　great　a　fool
  as　all　that。〃
  〃It　was　not　her　folly；　but　her　innocence；　that　was　imposed　on。　　You
  a　philosopher；　and　not　know　that　wisdom　itself　is　sometimes　imposed
  on；　and　deceived　by　cunning　folly！　　Have　you　forgotten　your
  Milton？
  〃'At　Wisdom's　gate；　Suspicion　sleeps；
  And　deems　no　ill　where　no　ill　seems。'
  Come；　come！　are　you　sure　you　are　not　a　little　to　blame？　　Did　you
  write　home　the　moment　you　found　you　were　not　dead？〃
  Christopher　colored　high。
  〃Evidently　not；〃　said　the　keen　old　man。　　〃Ah；　my　fine　fellow！　have
  I　found　the　flaw　in　your　own　armor？〃
  〃I　did　wrong；　but　it　was　for　her。　　I　sinned　for　her。　　I　could　not
  bear　her　to　be　without　money；　and　I　knew　the　insuranceI　sinned
  for　her。　　She　has　sinned　AGAINST　me。〃
  〃And　she　had　much　better　have　sinned　against　God；　hadn't　she？　　He
  is　more　forgiving　than　we　perfect　creatures　that　cheat　insurance
  companies。　　And　so；　my　fine　fellow；　you　hid　the　truth　from　her　for
  two　or　three　months。〃
  No　answer。
  〃Strike　off　those　two　or　three　months；　would　the　banns　have　ever
  been　cried？〃
  〃Well；　uncle；〃　said　Christopher；　hard　pressed；　〃I　am　glad　she　has
  got　a　champion；　and　I　hope　you　will　always　keep　your　eye　on　her。〃
  〃I　mean　to。〃
  〃Good…morning。〃
  〃No；　don't　be　in　a　hurry。　　I　have　something　else　to　say；　not　so
  provoking。　　Do　you　know　the　arts　by　which　she　was　made　to　believe
  you　wished　her　to　marry　again？〃
  〃I　wished　her　to　marry　again！　　Are　you　mad；　uncle？〃
  〃Whose　handwriting　is　on　this　envelope？〃
  〃Mine；　to　be　sure。〃
  〃Now；　read　the　letter。〃
  Christopher　read　the　forged　letter。
  〃Oh；　monstrous！〃
  〃This　was　given　her　with　your　ruby　ring；　and　a　tale　so　artful　that
  nothing　we　read　about　the　devil　comes　near　it。　　This　was　what　did
  it。　　The　Earl　of　Tadcaster　brought　her　title；　and　wealth；　and
  love。〃
  〃What；　he　too！　　The　little　cub　I　saved；　and　lost　myself　forblank
  him！　blank　him！〃
  〃Why；　you　stupid　ninny！　you　forget　you　were　dead；　and　he　could　not
  help　loving　her。　　How　could　he？　　Well；　but　you　see　she　refused　him。
  And　why？　because　he　came　without　a　forged　letter　from　YOU。　　Do　you
  doubt　her　love　for　you？〃
  〃Of　course　I　do。　　She　never　loved　me　as　I　loved　her。〃
  〃Christopher；　don't　you　say　that　before　me；　or　you　and　I　shall
  quarrel。　　Poor　girl！　she　lay；　in　my　sight；　as　near　death　for　you　as
  you　were　for　her。　　I'll　show　you　something。〃
  He　went　to　a　cabinet；　and　took　out　a　silver　paper；　he　unpinned　it；
  and　laid　Rosa's　beautiful　black　hair　upon　her　husband's　knees。
  〃Look　at　that；　you　hard…hearted　brute！〃　he　roared　to　Christopher；
  who　sat；　anything　but　hard…hearted；　his　eyes　filling　fast；　at　the
  sad　proof　of　his　wife's　love　and　suffering。
  Rosa　could　bear　no　more。　　She　came　out　with　her　boy　in　her　hand。
  〃O　uncle；　do　not　speak　harshly　to　him；　or　you　will　kill　me　quite！〃
  She　came　across　the　room；　a　picture　of　timidity　and　penitence；　with
  her　whole　eloquent　body　bent　forward　at　an　angle。　　She　kneeled　at
  his　knees；　with　streaming　eyes；　and　held　her　boy　up　to　him：　〃Plead
  for　your　poor　mother；　my　darling。　　She　mourns　her　fault；　and　will
  never　excuse　it。〃
  The　cause　was　soon　decided。　　All　Philip's　logic　was　nothing；
  compared　with　mighty　nature。　　Christopher　gave　one　great　sob；　and
  took　his　darling　to　his　heart；　without　one　word；　and　he　and　Rosa
  clung　together；　and　cried　over　each　other。　　Philip　slipped　out　of
  the　room；　and　left　the　restored　ones　together。
  I　have　something　more　to　say　about　my　hero　and　heroine；　but　must
  first　deal　with　other　characters；　not　wholly　uninteresting　to　the
  reader；　I　hope。
  Dr。　Staines　directed　Phoebe　Falcon　how　to　treat　her　husband。　　No
  medicine；　no　stimulants；　very　wholesome　food；　in　moderation；　and
  the　temperature　of　the　body　regulated　by　tepid　water。　　Under　these
  instructions；　the　injured　but　still　devoted　wife　was　the　real
  healer。　　He　pulled　through；　but　was　lame　for　life；　and　ridiculously
  lame；　for　he　went　with　a　spring　halt；a　sort　of　hop…and…go…one
  that　made　the　girls　laugh；　and　vexed　Adonis。
  Phoebe　found　the　diamonds；　and　offered　them　all　to　Staines；　in
  expiation　of　his　villany。　　〃See；〃　she　said；　〃he　has　only　spent
  one。〃
  Staines　said　he　was　glad　of　it；　for　her　sake；　for　he　must　be　just
  to　his　own　family。　　He　sold　them　for　three　thousand　two　hundred
  pounds；　but　for　the　big　diamond　he　got　twelve　thousand　pounds；　and
  I　believe　it　was　worth　double　the　money。
  Counting　the　two　sums；　and　deducting　six　hundred　for　the　stone　Mr。
  Falcon　had　embezzled；　he　gave　her　over　seven　thousand　pounds。
  She　stared　at　him；　and　changed　color　at　so　large　a　sum。　　〃But　I
  have　no　claim　on　that；　sir。〃
  〃That　is　a　good　joke；〃　said　he。　　〃Why；　you　and　I　are　partners　in
  the　whole　thingyou　and　I　and　Dick。　　Was　it　not　with　his　horse　and
  rifle　I　bought　the　big　diamond？　　Poor　dear；　honest；　manly　Dick！
  No；　the　money　is　honestly　yours；　Mrs。　Falcon；　but　don't　trust　a
  penny　to　your　husband。〃
  〃He　will　never　see　it；　sir。　　I　shall　take　him　back；　and　give　him
  all　his　heart　can　ask　for；　with　this；　but　he　will　be　little　more
  than　a　servant　in　the　house　now；　as　long　as　Dick　is　single；　I　know
  that；〃　and　she　could　still　cry　at　the　humiliation　of　her　villain。
  Staines　made　her　promise　to　write　to　him；　and　she　did　write　him　a
  sweet；　womanly　letter；　to　say　that　they　were　making　an　enormous
  fortune；　and　hoped　to　end　their　days　in　England。　　Dick　sent　his
  kind　love　and　thanks。
  I　will　add；　what　she　only　said　by　implication；　that　she　was　happy
  after　all。　　She　still　contrived　to　love　the　thing　she　could　not
  respect。　　Once；　when　an　officious　friend　pitied　her　for　her
  husband's　lameness；　she　said；　〃Find　me　a　face　like　his。　　The　lamer
  the　better；　he　can't　run　after　the　girls；　like　SOME。〃
  Dr。　Staines　called　on　Lady　Cicely　Treherne；　the　footman　stared。　　He
  left　his　card。
  A　week　afterwards；　she　called　on　him。　　She　had　a　pink　tinge　in　her
  cheeks；　a　general　animation；　and　her　face　full　of　brightness　and
  archness。
  〃Bless　me！〃　said　he　bluntly；　〃is　this　you？　　How　you　are　improved！〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　am　come　to　thank　you　for　your　pwescwiption：
  I　followed　it　to　the　lettaa。〃
  〃Woe　is　me！　　I　have　forgotten　it。〃
  〃You　diwected　me　to　mawwy　a　nice　man。〃
  〃Never：　I　hate　a　nice　man。〃
  〃No；　noan　Iwishman：　and　I　have　done　it。〃
  〃Good　gracious！　you　don't　mean　that！　　I　must　be　more　cautious　in　my
  prescriptions。　　After　all；　it　seems　to　agree。〃
  〃Admiwably。〃
  〃He　loves　you？〃
  〃To　distwaction。〃
  〃He　amuses　you？〃
  〃Pwodigiously。　　Come　and　see。〃
  Dr。　and　Mrs。　Staines　live　with　Uncle　Philip。　　The　insurance　money
  is　returned；　but　the　diamond　money　makes　them　very　easy。　　Staines
  follows　his　profession　now　under　great　advantages：　a　noble　house；
  rent　free；　the　curiosity　that　attaches　to　a　man　who　has　been　canted
  out　of　a　ship　in　mid…ocean；　and　lives　to　tell　it；　and