was always proud and willful, and loved to have my own way. I was a
country girl, and had money left to me by my dead parents. A young man
made my acquaintance. He was gay and handsome, and made me believe that
he loved me. Well, I married him--do you hear? I married him--at the
church, with witnesses, and a minister to make me his true and lawful
wife. Curse him! I wish he had dropped down dead at the altar. There,
you needn't shudder; it would have been well for you if he had. I
married him, and then commenced my days of sorrow and--of guilt. He
squandered my money at the gambling-table, and I was sometimes in rags
and without food. He was drunk half the time, and abused me; but I was
even with him there, and gave him as good as he gave me. He taught me to
drink, and such a time as we sometimes made together would have made
Satan blush. I thought I was low enough; but he drove me lower yet. He
put temptation in my way--he did, curse his black heart! though he
denied it. I fell as low as woman can fall, and then I suppose you think
he left me? Well, he did, for a time; he went off somewhere, and perhaps
it was then he was trying to ruin some other girl, as foolish as I had
been. But he came back, and got money from me--the wages of my sin. And
all the while, he was as handsome, and could talk as softly as if he was
a saint. And with that smooth tongue and handsome face he won another
bride, and married her--married her, I tell you; and that's why I can
send him to the State prison."

"Send him! Who? My God! what do you mean?" cried Miranda, rising slowly
from her chair, with clasped hands and ashen cheeks.

"Philip Searle, my husband!" shouted Moll, rising also, and standing
with gleaming eyes before the trembling girl.

Miranda sank slowly back into her seat, tearless, but shuddering as