Whenever Mrs. Bell died, Lydia knew she must look out for a fresh home, and that day could surely now not be very distant.

"I can't do it," he said. "I can't let Maurice go to sech a cruel life鈥擨 can't, I can't! I can't give hup the hope o' seeing my old mother. I must see my old mother once again. And I can't steal Cecile's purse. Oh! wot shall I do?"

"Aye, like enough 'twas a slip of your tongue. But you said, 'Mother'; you said it without the 'step' added on. You don't know鈥攏ot that it matters now鈥攂ut you won't never know how that 'stepmother' hardened my heart against you and Maurice, child."