"Oh yes--Idella!" Annie broke in anxiously. "You will leave her with me,
Mr. Peck, won't you? You don't know how much I'm attached to her. I see her
faults, and I shall not spoil her. Leave her with me at least till you see
your way clear to having her with you, and then I will send her to you."
A trouble showed itself in his face, ordinarily so impassive, and he seemed
at a loss how to answer her; but he said: "I--appreciate your kindness to
her, but I shall not ask you to be at the inconvenience longer than till
to-morrow. I have arranged with another to take her until I am settled, and
then bring her to me."
Annie sat intensely searching his face, with her lips parted to speak.
"_Another!_" she said, and the wounded feeling, the resentment of his
insensibility to her good-will, that mingled in her heart, must have made
itself felt in her voice, for he went on reluctantly-"It is a family in which she will be brought up to work and to be helpful
to herself. They will join me with her. You know the mother--she has lost
her own child--Mrs. Savor."
At the name, Annie's spirit fell; the tears started from her eyes. "Yes,
she must have her. It is just--it is the only expiation. Don't you remember
that it was I who sent Mrs. Savor's baby to the sea-shore, where it died?"
"No; I had forgotten," said the minister, aghast. "I am sorry--"
"It doesn't matter," said Annie lifelessly; "it had to be." After a pause,
she asked quietly, "If Mrs. Savor is going to work in the mills, how can
she make a home for the child?"
"She is not going into the mills," he answered. "She will keep house for
us all, and we hope to have others who are without homes of their own join
us in paying the expenses and doing the work, so that all may share its
comfort without gain to any one upon their necessity of food and shelter."
She did not heed his explanation, but suddenly entreated: "Let me go with
you. I will not be a trouble to you, and I will help as well as I can. I
can't give the child up! Why--why"--the thought, crazy as it would have
once seemed, was now such a happy solution of the trouble that she smiled
hopefully--"why shouldn't I go with Mr. and Mrs. Savor, and help to make a
home for Idella there? You will need money to begin your work; I will give
you mine. I will give it up--I will give it all up. I will give it to any
good object that you approve; or you may have it, to do what you think best
with; and I will go with Idella and I will work in the mills there--or
anything."