He thrust, without counting, several sovereigns--at least twelve or
fourteen--into Mrs. Crane's palm; and so powerful a charm has goodness
the very least, even in natures the most evil, that that unusual,
eccentric, inconsistent gleam of human pity in Jasper Losely's benighted
soul shed its relenting influence over the angry, wrathful, and
vindictive feelings with which Mrs. Crane the moment before regarded the
perfidious miscreant; and she gazed at him with a sort of melancholy
wonder. What! though so little sympathizing with affection that he could
not comprehend that he was about to rob the old man of a comfort which no
gold could repay; what though so contemptuously callous to his own
child,--yet there in her hand lay the unmistakable token that a something
of humanity, compunction, compassion, still lingered in the breast of the
greedy cynic; and at that thought all that was softest in her own human
nature moved towards him, indulgent, gentle. But in the rapid changes of
the heart feminine, the very sentiment that touched upon love brought
back the jealousy that bordered upon hate. How came he by so much money?
more than days ago he, the insatiate spendthrift, had received for his
task-work? And that POCKETBOOK!

"You have suddenly grown rich, Jasper."

For a moment he looked confused, but replied as he rehelped himself to
the brandy, "Yes, rouge-et-noir,--luck. Now, do go and see after this
affair, that's a dear good woman. Get the child to-day if you can; I
will call here in the evening."

"Should you take her, then, abroad at once to this worthy lady who will
adopt her? If so, we shall meet, I suppose, no, more; and I am assisting
you to forget that I live still."