"Do they?" replied Mrs. Forster, whose wrath kindled at the information.

"Yes, indeed; and that wretch Betsy declares that she'll put the rope over your neck with her own hands."

"Does she?" cried Mrs. Forster, her eyes twinkling with rage.

"Yes; and your husband, your foolish husband, says that he'll be able to make his improvement in the duplex, now that you'll be hanged."

"He does, does he?" replied Mrs. Forster, catching her breath, and grinding her teeth as she jumped off the bed.

"Now, my dear Mrs. Forster, it's no use minding what they say; all you have to do is to escape as soon as possible; the magistrate's warrant may arrive this minute, and then it will be too late; so come down at once:- -how lucky that you have escaped! it must be a dreadful thing to be hanged!"

This last remark, always brought forward by Miss Dragwell, when she had a point to carry, induced Mrs. Forster to hasten down stairs to the post chaise, which she found already occupied by

Mr. Ramsden's servant. As soon as she entered, it was driven off with speed in the direction already communicated to the post-boy.

We shall leave the town of Overton to recover its quiet, for such a bustle had not occurred for many years, and Miss Dragwell to exult in the success of her plot, while we follow Mrs. Forster to her new quarters.

The chaise rattled on, Mr. Ramsden's servant crouching in a corner, as far as possible from Mrs. Forster, evidently about as well pleased with his company as one would be in a pitfall with a tiger. At last it stopped at the door of the lunatic asylum, and the post-boy dismounting from his reeking horses, pulled violently at a large bell, which answered with a most lugubrious tolling, and struck awe into the breast of Mrs. Forster.

When the door was opened Mr. Ramsden's servant alighted, and went in to deliver his letter to the doctor. The doctor was not at home; he had obtained his furlough of three weeks, and was very busy with his fishing-rod some thirty miles distant; but the keepers were in attendance, and, as Mr. Ramsden's servant stated the insanity of

Mrs. Forster, and that she had been sent there by his master, they raised no objections to her reception. In a few minutes the servant reappeared with two keepers, who handed Mrs. Forster out of the chaise, and conducted her to a receiving room, where Mrs. Forster waited some minutes in expectation of the appearance of Doctor Beddington. In the mean time, Mr. Ramsden's servant, having no farther communication to make, left the letter for Doctor Beddington, and returned in the chaise to Overton.

After a quarter of an hour had elapsed, Mrs. Forster inquired of one of the keepers, who had, much to her annoyance, taken a chair close to her, whether the doctor intended to come.

"He'll come by-and-bye, good woman. How do you feel yourself now?"

"Very cold-very cold, indeed," replied Mrs. Forster, shivering.

"That's what the poor brutes always complain of—ar'nt it, Jim ?" observed another keeper, who had just entered. "Where be we to stow

her?"

"I sent Tom to get No. 14 ready."

Why, you don't think that I'm mad!” cried Mrs. Forster, with terror.

"So, softly-so-so," said the keeper next to her, patting her, as he would soothe a fractious child.

The violence of Mrs. Forster, when she discovered that she was considered as a lunatic, fully corroborated to the keepers the assertion of Mr. Ramsden's servant; but we must not dwell upon the scene which followed. After an ineffectual struggle, Mrs. Forster found herself locked up in No. 14, and left to her own reflections. The previous scenes which had occurred, added to the treatment which she received in the asylum, caused such excitement, that, before the next morning, she was seized with a brain fever, and raved as loudly in her delirium as any of the other unfortunate inmates there incarcerated.

CHAPTER IX.

Who by repentance is not satisfied,

Is not of heaven or earth; for these are pleased;
By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeased.
SHAKSPEARE.

MR. RAMSDEN's servant returned to Overton, stating that the doctor was not at home, but that he had left Mrs. Forster and the letter. The time that Doctor Beddington was to be absent had not been mentioned by the keepers; and Mr. Ramsden, imagining that the doctor had probably gone out for the evening, made no farther inquiries, as he intended, in a day or two, to call and bring Mrs. Forster back to her own house. On the third day of her removal he set off for the asylum; and when he discovered the situation of Mrs. Forster, he bitterly repented that he had been