one could take away my good conscience, and I could not think that I
should be forsaken.

I passed the day very comfortably, and even cheerfully; I sometimes
forgot that I had any trouble. Just after tea, the minister came in;
he shook hands very kindly with me, but he looked very serious, and
fixed his eye right in my face.

O, if I had not had a good conscience then, how could I have borne
that look! but it seemed to me as if I could feel my soul coming up
into my face, to tell its own innocence; I am sure my looks must
have said, I am not afraid, for I have done no wrong.

He seemed more satisfied, but he told me that he had been to Mrs.--,
where I had lived, and she had told him that the evidence was so
great of my dishonesty that she could not doubt it. She was only
sorry for me.

"We have determined," said he, "to try you; I cannot but hope that
you are what you seem, innocent; but time will show."

I had felt so proud of my character, that the idea of going upon
trial was hard for me to bear, and I just answered that I would go;
I was not as grateful as perhaps I ought to have been, for it was
very good in him to believe me innocent, in spite of all that was
told him against me, and I ought to have thanked him for his
compassion upon such a forlorn creature as I was then.

Many years after, I found out what I had been accused of, and I had
the satisfaction of having my innocence acknowledged. The morning of