that father might not be dead?"

"Not be dead, Lenora! What do you mean?" asked Mrs. Hamilton, starting
up from her pillow.

Cautiously then Lenora commenced her story by referring her mother
back to the old beggar, who some months before had been in the
kitchen. Then she spoke of the old porter, and the resemblance which
was said to exist between him and herself; and finally, as she saw her
mother could bear it, she told the whole story of her father's life.
Slowly the sick woman's eyes closed, and Lenora saw that her eyelids
were wet with, tears, but as she made no reply, Lenora ere long
whispered, "Would you like to see him, mother?"

"No, no; not now," was the answer.

For a time there was silence, and then Lenora, again speaking, said,
"Mother, I have often been very wicked and disrespectful to you, and
if you should die, I should feel much happier knowing that you forgave
me. Will you do it, mother--say?"

Mrs. Hamilton comprehended only the words, "if you should die," so she
said: "Die, die! who says that I must die? I shan't--I can't; for what
could I tell her about her children, and how could I live endless ages
without water? I tried it once, and I can't do it. No, I can't. I
won't!"

In this way she talked all night; and though in the morning she was
more rational, she turned away from the clergyman, who at Lenora's
request had been sent for, saying: