CHAPTER XLI.
THE HELPER.
At length one morning, when she believed Mrs.Redmain would not rise before noon, Mary felt she must go and see Letty.

She did not find her in the quarters where she had left her, but a story higher, in a mean room, sitting with her hands in her lap.

She did not lift her eyes when Mary entered: where hope is dead, curiosity dies.

Not until she had come quite near did she raise her head, and then she seemed to know nothing of her.

When she did recognize her, she held out her hand in a mechanical way, as if they were two specters met in a miserable dream, in which they were nothing to each other, and neither could do, or cared to do, anything for the other.
"My poor Letty!" cried Mary, greatly shocked, "what has come to you?
Are you not glad to see me?
Has anything happened to Tom ?" She broke into a low, childish wail, and for a time that was all Mary heard.