his hands, partly with cold and partly with satisfaction; and
his first words were — "Well! we have got a fine opportunity
for her at last."

How little he was capable of understanding the pang this
announcement gave his poor wife! But she only closed her eyes
and kept perfectly quiet, and he never suspected it.

He unbuttoned his coat, and taking the poker in his hand,
began to mend the fire, talking the while.

"I am very glad of it, indeed," said he; "it's quite a load
off my mind. Now we'll be gone directly, and high time it is —
I'll take passage in the _England_ the first thing to-morrow.
And this is the best possible chance for Ellen — every thing
we could have desired. I began to feel very uneasy about it —
it was getting so late; but I am quite relieved now."

"Who is it?" said Mrs. Montgomery, forcing herself to speak.

"Why, it's Mrs. Dunscombe," said the captain, flourishing his
poker by way of illustration; "you know her, don't you? —
Captain Dunscombe's wife — she's going right through
Thirlwall, and will take charge of Ellen as far as that, and
there my sister will meet her with a waggon and take her
straight home. Couldn't be anything better. I write to let
Fortune know when to expect her. Mrs. Dunscombe is a lady of
the first family and fashion — in the highest degree
respectable; she is going on to Fort Jameson, with her
daughter and a servant, and her husband is to follow her in a