'The Lord have mercy on us! Why did you run away so suddenly?'

'Don't ask me. Never you say a word about it to me. I'm a sinner:
where's Miss Toller?'

Helen listened in silence as Mrs. Mudge told her the eventful
history of the last twelve hours. She went upstairs: Miss Toller's
bedroom door was open, and on the drawers she saw a little packet
tied up with blue silk.

It was addressed 'for dear Helen.' She tore it open, and there was
a locket and in it was her beloved mistress's hair--the mistress to
whom she had been so cruel, who had so nobly defended her. She
threw herself on the bed and her heart almost broke. Suddenly she
leaped up, flew down into the kitchen, and began washing up the
plates and dishes. Miss Toller was away for nearly an hour; her
search for a charwoman was unsuccessful, and she came back dejected.
Helen rushed to meet her and they embraced one another.

'O Miss Toller, forgive me! When I saw you sitting with that
Poulter and that Goacher, the Devil got the better of me, but--'

'Hush, my dear; I oughtn't to have gone, and never any more from
this day call me Miss Toller. Call me Mary, always from this day--
you promise me?' and Miss Toller kissed Helen's quivering lips.

Miss Toller did all she could to get other boarders, but none came
and she had a hard time. It was difficult for her sometimes to find
a dinner for herself and Helen. Good Mrs. Mudge was delicately
considerate and often said, 'that meat need not come up again,' and