The Argosy — page 360: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

288 The Tendency of Dickens’s Works. would die independent. If she were captured previously the money would be taken from her. Asa pauper she had no right to it, and she would be carned to the workhouse. So, keeping to by-ways, and shunning human approach, this troublesome old woman hid herself, and fared on all through the dreary day. ‘Yet so unlike was she to vagrant hiders in general, that sometimes, as the day advanced, there was a bright fire in her eyes, and a quicker beating at her feeble heart, as though she said exultingly, ‘The Lord will see me through it.’ Faring on and hiding, hiding and faring on, the poor harmless creature, as though she were a murderess and the whole country were up after her, wore out the day and gained the night. ‘ Water, meadows, and such like,’ she had sometimes murmured in the day’s pilgrimage, when she had raised her head and taken note of the real objects about her, ‘' There now arose in the darkness a great building, full of lighted windows. Between her and the building lay a piece of water in which the lighted windows were reflected, and on its nearest margin was a plantation of trees. ‘I humbly thank the Power and the Glory,’ said Betty Higden, holding up her withered hands, ‘ that I have come to my journey’s end.’ She crept among the trees to the trunk of a tree, whence she could see beyond some intervening trees and branches the lighted windows, She placed her orderly little basket at her side, and sank upon the ground, supporting herself against the tree. It brought to her mind the foot of the Cross, and she committed herself to Him who died upon it. ‘‘ Her strength held out to enable her to arrange the letter in her breast, so that it could be seen that she had a paper there. It had held out for this, andi departed when this was done. ‘Iam safe here,’ was her last benumbed thought. ‘When I am found dead at the foot of the Cross, it will be by some of my own sort; some of the workpeople who work among the lights yonder. I cannot see the lighted windows now, but they are there. I am thankful for all.’ .... The darkness gone, and a face bending down. It is as the face of a woman shaded by a quantity of rich dark hair. It is the earnest face of a woman who is young and handsome. But all is over with her on earth, and this must be an angel. ‘Havel been long dead ?' ‘‘* I don’t understand what you say. Let me wet your lips again.’ ‘Am I not dead ?’ *T cannot understand what you say, Your voice is so low and broken that I cannot hear you. Do you hear me?’ *** Yes,’ ‘*¢ Do you mean yes ?’ 6é¢ Yes.’ “*T was coming from my work just now, along the path outside, and I heard a groan, and found you lying here,’ ‘© * What work, deary ?’ ‘“* Did you ask what work? At the paper-mill.' “** Where is it?’ ‘'« Your face is turned up to the sky, and you can’t see it. Dare I lift you?’ se 6 Not yet.’ ‘** Not even lift your head to get iton my arm? I will do it by very gentle degrees. You shall hardly feel it.’ **Not yet. The paper. The letter.’ ‘‘* This paper in your breast ?’ “** Bless ye!’ ‘** Let me wet your lips again. Am Ito open it? To read it?’ ‘‘* Bless ye!’ * She reads it with surprise, and looks down with a new expression and a2 ECONMCOOOKS.CO @