honest. Confession would, anyhow, ease the weight of her load. Passively
at last, from very weariness of thought, her mind was but going backward
and forward over its own traces, heedlessly obliterating them, when
suddenly a new and horrid consciousness emerged from the trodden slime--
that she was glad that at least Sophy _had_ the money! For one
passing moment she was glad with the joy of Lady Macbeth, that what was
done was done, and could not be altered. Then once more the storm within
her awoke and would not again be stilled.

But now a third something happened which brought with it hope, for it
suggested a way of deliverance. Impelled by the same power that causes a
murderer to haunt the scene of his violence, she left the house, and was
unaware whither she was directing her steps until she found herself
again passing the door of the banker's house; there, in that same
kitchen-window, on a level with the pavement, she espied, in large
pen-drawn print, the production apparently of the cook or another of the
servants, the announcement that a parlor-maid was wanted immediately.
Again without waiting to think, and only afterwards waking up to the
fact and meaning of what she had done, she turned, went back to the
entry-door, and knocked. It was almost suddenly opened by the cook, and
at once the storm of her misery was assuaged in a rising moon of hope,
and the night became light about her. Ah, through what miseries are not
even frail hopes our best and safest, our only _true_ guides
indeed, into other and yet fairer hopes!

"Did you want to see the mistress?" asked the jolly-faced cook, where
she stood on the other side of the threshold; and, without waiting an
answer, she turned and led the way to the parlor. Annie followed, as if
across the foundation of the fallen wall of Jericho; and found, to her
surprise, that Mrs. Macintosh, knowing her by sight, received her with