Such a scene as I encountered! Mrs.Elder was just at the point of death, and expired a few moments after my entrance.

Besides a single domestic and a child, I was the only witness of her last extremity." "Shocking!" "You may well say shocking, Edward, unprepared as I was for such an occurrence.

My nerves are quivering yet." "Then the widow is dead also ?" "Yes; both have gone to their long home." "How many children are left ?" "Only one--a little girl, not, I should think, above four years of age." "Some near relative will, I presume, take charge of her." "In dying, the mother declared that she had no friend to whom she could leave the child.

On me, therefore, devolves the care of seeing to its maintenance." "No friend.

Poor child! and of so tender an age!" "She is young, certainly, to be left alone in the world." Jasper uttered these words, but felt nothing of the sad meaning they involved.
"What disposition will you make of her ?" asked Claire.
"I've had no time to think of that yet.