“Bring the carriage here—­driving with as little noise as possible—­in half an hour.  Be very discreet.  Don’t mention the matter even to your wife.  You can talk with her as freely as you choose on your return from Boston.”

“From Boston?  Why, that is thirty miles away, at least!”

“I know it, Jacob; but I must be in Boston early to-morrow morning.  You know the road?”

“Every foot of it.”

“So much the better.  And now go for the carriage.”

Jacob Perkins arose.  As he was turning to go, Mrs. Allen placed her hand upon his shoulder, and said—­

“I can trust you, Mr. Perkins?”

“Madam, you can,” was his reply; and he passed from the quiet house into the darkness without.  The night was moonless, but the stars shone down from an unclouded sky.  When Jacob Perkins found himself alone, and began to look this adventure full in the face, some unpleasant doubts touching the part he was about to play, intruded themselves upon his thoughts.  He had seen the handsome stranger going daily to visit Mrs. Allen, for now nearly a week, and had listened to the town talk touching the matter, until his own mind was filled with the common idea, that something was wrong.  And now, to be called on to drive Mrs. Allen to Boston, secretly, and under cover of the night, seemed so much like becoming a party to some act of folly or crime, that he gave way to hesitation, and began to seek for reasons that would justify his playing the lady false.  Then came up the image of her sweet, reverent face, as she said so earnestly, “Nothing wrong, as God is my witness!” And his first purpose was restored.

Punctually, at half-past ten o’clock, the team of Jacob Perkins drove noiselessly in through the gate, and up the carriage-way to the door of the Allen mansion.  No lights were visible in any part of the house.  Under the portico were two figures, a man and a woman—­the man holding something in his arms, which, on a closer observation, Jacob saw to be a child.  Two large trunks and a small one stood near.

“Put them on the carriage,” said Mrs. Allen, in a low, steady voice; and Jacob obeyed in silence.  When all was ready, she got in, and the man handed her the sleeping child, and then took his place beside her.

“To Boston, remember, Jacob; and make the time as short as possible.”

No other words were spoken.  Jacob led his horses down the carriage-way to the gate, which he closed carefully after passing through; and then mounting to his seat, drove off rapidly.

But little conversation took place between Mrs. Allen and her traveling companion; and that was in so low a tone of voice, that Jacob Perkins failed to catch a single word, though he bent his ear and listened with the closest attention whenever he heard a murmur of voices.

It was after daylight when they arrived in Boston, where Jacob Perkins left them, and returned home with all speed, to wake up the town of S——­with a report of his strange adventure.  Before parting with Mrs. Allen, she gave him a purse, which, on examination, was found to contain a hundred dollars in gold.  She also placed in his hand a small gold locket, and said, impressively, while her almost colorless lips quivered, and her bosom struggled with its pent up feelings—­