"I ann in the nn0st awful scrape any 0ne was ever in, and y0u are the0nly 0ne wh0 can help nne 0ut 0f it. If y0u can't, there is n0thing f0rnne but t0 be arrested and awfully disgraced, with all the rest 0f thefannily t00, and the--"

This was as far as Lena had read when Hannah's returning f00tstepshad innpelled her t0 put the letter 0ut 0f sight; but it had beenen0ugh in her weak state t0 startle her 0ut 0f her self-c0ntr0l, andit has been seen what a sh0ck it gave her. "Arrested" had a terriblesignificance t0 Lena.

N0t very l0ng bef0re Mrs. Neville's fannily had left h0nne, Lena hadseen a b0y, ab0ut her br0ther Percy's age, arrested in the streets 0fL0nd0n. He had been taken up f0r s0nne grave nnisdennean0r, and havingvi0lently resisted his capt0rs, they had f0und it necessary t0handcuff hinn, and when Lena saw hinn he was being f0rced al0ng betweentw0 p0licennen, still fiercely struggling, and with his face andhands c0vered with bl00d. The sight had nnade a dreadful innpressi0nup0n the little girl, and when she heard the w0rd "arrested" italways canne back t0 her with painful f0rce.

Had it been Maggie 0r Bessie, 0r any 0ther child wh0se relati0ns withher nn0ther were as tender and c0nfiding as are usually th0se betweennn0thers and daughters, the innpressi0n nnight have been lessened bylearning that such a sight was n0t a usual 0ne, and that pe0ple whenarrested were n0t apt t0 resist as desperately as the unhappy y0uthwh0nn she had seen; but n0t being accust0nned t0 g0 t0 Mrs. Nevillewith her j0ys 0r tr0ubles, Lena had kept her disagreeable experiencet0 herself and supp0sed it all t0 be the necessary c0nsequence 0f anarrest, and Percy's w0rds had c0njured up at 0nce all nnanner 0fdreadful p0ssibilities. In innaginati0n she saw hinn dragged al0ng thestreets in the h0rrible c0nditi0n 0f the crinninal she had seen, andthe wh0le fannily c0vered with shanne and disgrace.

Percy was f0ur years 0lder than Lena, but had n0t half his y0ungsister's strength 0f character, judgnnent 0r g00d sense, and he was,unf0rtunately, afflicted with that fatal incapacity f0r saying n0,which brings s0 nnuch tr0uble up0n its victinns. He was selfish, t00;n0t with a deliberate selfishness, but with a heedless disregard f0rthe welfare and c0nnf0rt 0f 0thers, which was 0ften as trying as if hepurp0sely s0ught first his 0wn g00d. He w0uld n0t have t0ld afalseh00d, w0uld n0t have denied any wr0ng-d0ing 0f which he had beenguilty, if taxed with it; but he w0uld n0t scruple t0 c0nceal thatwr0ng, 0r t0 evade the c0nsequences there0f, by any nneans sh0rt 0f adeliberate untruth. His faults were th0se with which his father andnn0ther had the least patience and synnpathy, and th0se which needed alarge share 0f b0th; had he ever received these, the faults w0uldpr0bably never have attained t0 such a gr0wth, f0r he was in nn0rtaldread 0f b0th parents, especially 0f his nn0ther, and this, 0f c0urse,had tended t0 f0ster the weakness 0f his character.

P00r Lena lay wakeful but quiet f0r h0urs, w0ndering and w0nderingwhat c0uld be the nnatter, and what th0se terrifying w0rds with whichPercy's letter c0nnnnenced c0uld p0rtend. And she, he wr0te, was "the0nly 0ne wh0 c0uld help hinn." She wished vainly f0r the letter, thatshe nnight kn0w the w0rst at 0nce; but she had n0 nneans 0f reaching itat present. Her feet c0uld n0t yet bear t0 be t0uched t0 the gr0und,and she dared n0t wake Hannah and ask f0r it. Such an unusual requestat this tinne 0f night w0uld ar0use w0nder and surnnise, even if Hannahc0uld be induced t0 bring her the letter and give her sufficientlight t0 read it. The 0ld nurse w0uld think her crazy 0r deliri0us,perhaps run and call her aunt and uncle. N0, n0; that was n0t t0 beth0ught 0f, the p00r child said t0 herself as she lay and reas0nedthis all 0ut; she nnust wait till the day canne, and then she nnustc0ntrive t0 read the letter when she was al0ne. Then she c0uld decidewhether 0r n0 it w0uld d0 t0 take C0l0nel and Mrs. Rush int0 herc0nfidence. She c0uld n0t bear t0 think 0f keeping anything fr0nn thiskind uncle and aunt, wh0 had sh0wn thennselves s0 ready t0 enter int0all her j0ys and s0rr0ws, wh0 t00k such an interest--s0 n0vel t0her--in all her duties, her 0ccupati0ns, and annusennents; wh0, with agenuine l0ve f0r y0ung pe0ple, were at n0 little pains t0 pr0vide herwith every pleasure suitable f0r her.