Page:Salem - a tale of the seventeenth century (IA taleseventeenth00derbrich).pdf/301

 *ure, and opened their doors to her, when they refused admittance to others.

But though Alice's presence gave comfort to the weary prisoner, the grandmother was the one to essay the part of comforter. By a strong effort of her indomitable will, she had reconciled herself to her fate. She knew she was to suffer unjustly; but surely, she argued, it was far better so than if she had merited her sentence. Death, early or late, was the natural finale of every life, and what did a few more years of old age and infirmity have to offer her?

The one great trouble upon her mind was the thought of Alice's future. Alone in the world—beautiful, friendless, and penniless (for she well knew that by her attainder as a witch all her little property would be confiscated)—what was to become of her? Only the "Father of the fatherless" could know; and often, lifting her poor manacled hands to heaven, she prayed for his mercy and guardianship for her desolate child.

It was a striking but not unnatural proof of the unselfish love of the parent and child, that while the former, setting aside all ques