Up to this moment no one had seen Hester since the evil tidings had been made known; but a messenger had been sent out to Folking with a long letter from her mother, in which the poor nameless one had been implored to come back with her baby to her old home till this matter had been settled.

The writer had endeavoured to avoid the saying of hard things against the sinner; but her feelings had been made very clear.

'Your father and brothers and all of us think that you should come away from him while this is pending.

Nay; we do not hesitate to say that it is your bounden duty to leave him.' 'I will never, never leave my dearest, dearest husband.

If they were to put my husband into gaol I would sit at the door till they had let him out.' That, repeated over and over again, had been the purport of her reply.