The Tragedy of the Chain Pier

new what lay underneath. There was no outward brand of murder on the white brow, or red stain on the soft, white hand. But day by day the certainty grew in my mind. Another thing s

th one fine diamond in the center; she wore it suspended by a small chain from her neck. As she sat talking to me she was playing with the chain, when it suddenly beca

et, Mr. Ford; is it nea

u prize very

lied, and her face paled as searching i

ll had loosened the spring. I could not help seeing the co

I said, as I re

went blood-re

g to my little sister," she sai

but I could not keep the dryn

denly, "are you like Lance a

she replie

uld be almost alone in the wor

ows how I have cried out upon my parents for leaving me. I never had one ha

ly,"

rs she fastened the gold

randmother, a proud, cold, cruel woman, who never said a kind word

holding the golden loc

ent. Believe me, Mr. Ford, there are white slaves in England whose slavery is worse than that of an African child. I was one of them. I think

king through the mask; her

never saw a look of anything but hate on my grandmother's face. No one was ever pitiful to me; fierce words, fierce blows, complaints of the burden I was; that w

I am deeply inte

went

and she strongly objected to spend it on me. She paid for my education on the condition t

re a governe

or my age, and quite capable," she said; "but fifteen is ve

en a very beautif

She seemed to repent of the wor

kly, "that my grandmother

tween us for some mi

er such an unloved li

ld," I said, "and the woman who c

asked. "Indeed, for matter of that

speak carelessly, "that good and loyal me

said. She was startled ag

l. Mrs. Fleming had several poor people who

to a jeweler's," I said, "a

asked Lance, looking up

for his inspection. "I nearly lost it this

t holds your siste

pening it and holding

ned, the hair of the little dead child. Lovi

rling, would you?" he said, "Excepting

clung to him, and he kissed her face u

nces," he said. "Do you remember the eveni

e and my own soul before I

ve I any right to mar such love as that?" I noticed that during a

man so bewildered as I. Lance proposed th

n," he said-"this visit wi

d words as much as money,"

nterested," he said, laughin

ly jesting,

their complaints, gave them comfort and relieved their wants. As I watched her I could not help thinking to myself that if I were a fashionable or titled lady, this would be

tired?" she ask

e with you,"

Mr. Ford?"

ould have told her that I was watching what was to me a perfect problem-the kind

rs. Fleming, I am

laborer. He was away at work; his wife sat at home nursing a little babe, a small, fair, tiny

s wife. Ah, Heaven! the change that came over her, the passio

"while you rest for a few minutes;" and the po

cottage, her beautiful face and shining hair, her dress s

she asked, in her swe

mother, "but I have given i

at you have drugged it

ing more; it keeps it sleeping; and

her beau

id; "more babes are killed by

ook at me; I stepped forward

a child like this drugs when it has to die; to les

leaped into her eyes, the sudd

said; "I do not und

or not? It cannot pray-it must go straight to Heaven! Do you not think anyone w

ld not take them away. I saw the fear leap into them, the

n when the inquest was held on the tiny white body, "tha

at unfortunately the poor people use these kind of cordials too readily. I sho

, Mr. Ford; what a p

who touched its tiny face with her delicate lips, who held it cradled in her