than five years old, and already gives more trouble than all the rest of the children put together!' Poor little Maggie ! I'm afraid she is gifted with an inconvenient and unlady-like amount of self-will and originality.

"On the present occasion it was difficult to scold, because, as it happened, her impromptu visit turned out a very oppor

tune one.

"It seems that Dr. Ward had this morning observed symptoms of returning reason in the child, and was anxiously watching for their increase. It was during a critical sleep that the doctor walked down here. On his return he found his little patient still sleeping soundly, as he expected. He was prepared for the length and soundness of the sleep, but he was very uneasy about its result. He was by no means sure that the poor boy would not wake up a confirmed idiot. -He told me afterwards somewhat of his feelings, as he sat beside the bed, about the time he expected the sleep to pass off. He could scarcely bear to glance at the faces of the parents: the mother's wearing that indescribable look, made up of the intensest love and pity, mingled with painful, eager inquiry, which, he says, he sees so often in the faces of mothers as they watch the death-beds of their children; the father's face, downcast, wretched, but too proud to unbend the firmset mouth, or to let the lids droop over the expectant eye.

"Poor Carleton! Dr. Ward observed, also, that he did not stand beside his wife, or offer her any consolation, and that she seemed to avoid looking at him; their whole souls seemed concentrated in the gaze with which they watched the little slumberer, who lay, wasted, wan, with the transparent lids only half covering his large eyes; the beautiful head, shorn of its abundant curls, resting on one small thin hand, while the other lay, clasped in his mother's, on the white coverlet. He had been thus for five hours. At length he stirred slightly -a tremor passed through his limbs. They who saw the motion trembled too. Then his eyes opened a little. And the thought came to all of them—' What if there be no longer any intelligence there?' At that moment there was a sound

of small pattering feet, and a child's voice outside the room sounding plaintively, and as if in the act of struggling.

666 Oh, let I do in! I will be dood. Please let I do see ittle Dunny!'

“For half an instant a feeling of alarm at this disturbance, so near the silent chamber, contracts the brows of the watchers; but only for half an instant-the next it is converted into tearful joy. For at the sound of that voice the patient's eyes open wide; he raises his head, smiles, looks towards the door and then towards his mother, and says, in feeble, but glad accents: Little Maggie! Mamma, little Maggie !'

"The doctor says that he never admitted a visitor into a sick-room more willingly than he then admitted our little pet. At a sign from him, Carleton opened the bedroom door, and discovered Miss Maggie engaged in single combat with Ann, who was endeavouring to carry off the child. In another moment Maggie was free, and saw the door open before her. Without pausing, she ran into the sick-chamber, and Frank crept in after her. Dr. Ward says it was pretty to see her stop suddenly, smitten by the silence and darkness of the room, and then turn her head round slowly, in the gloom, as if in search of something. At last she seemed to make out the bed, and began to move towards it. When she was close to it, so that she could see its little tenant looking eagerly at her, she stretched out her arms towards him, and sobbed out 'Poor Dunny. Kiss ittle Maggie!' The invalid testifying much impatience to comply with her request, she was lifted on the bed by Dr. Ward. He says that every one present shed tears at the sight of their innocent caresses. Arundel's pale face beamed with delight, while Maggie's fingers wandered over it, as if to make sure it was indeed her dear Dunny.' She seemed sadly puzzled about his hair-her eyes fixed themselves insatiably upon it in the dim light. And then feeling with her two little hands all over his head, she said, mournfully, 'A carls gone! Being told by Lady Carleton that she must sit quite still, and not talk, she immediately seated herself on the bed, so that she and her little friend could look at each other,

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and remained immovable. Frank came and stood beside her, looking with awe-struck face at his brother, whom he had not seen for many days. Arundel put up his pale thin lips to kiss him, but poor Frank burst into tears, and hid his face in Maggie's frock. He is very fond of Arundel, and has been inconsolable during his illness. He is old enough to see the sad change in Dunny,' as they call him. He is a fine, noble little fellow. Dr. Ward would not suffer the two children to be removed until the patient seemed exhausted and inclined to sleep once more.

“Her mother says Maggie ought to have been a boy. That she is as bold as a redbreast; that she never seems to be afraid of anything. Not a bad quality for a woman, that. Fear is the mother of weakness: and weakness and wickedness are twins. If Maggie grows up a brave woman, I'll forgive her for running away from home in her fourth year.

"Thursday.-Arundel is slowly but surely recovering. Dr. Ward left the castle for London to-day. On his way to Phe stopped here; and we had an hour's conversation. Lady Carleton's health is injured by her assiduous attention to the child; but there is a deeper cause for the great change which has taken place in her. From questions she put to the doctor, he fears she has some idea that Arundel's illness is inherited. He was able to prophesy good to her for his boyhood; at least for many years to come. He says there is every reason to hope, that, having passed this critical period safely, he will become strong physically and mentally. He assured her of this. He did not tell her what he has told me and Carleton; viz., that in seven more years, i.e., about his fifteenth year, it is not unlikely the dear boy will suffer another obscuration of the intellect; and that that attack will be longer and probably more dangerous than the one from which he has just recovered. I asked the doctor why he had not warned Lady Carleton of this; and the gentle goodness and wisdom of his reply satisfied me on that score.

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"No warning could ward off the attack, I believe. When I find the evil creeping on, as it will, by slow and scarcely

perceptible steps, she shall be warned. In the meantime, if he should fall a victim to one of the thousand accidents which carry children to the grave, it will be well to have spared her the terrible prospect of that evil which he did not live to meet. We physicians are but too glad to save hearts from suffering when we can. He then asked to see all our children that he might ascertain if there were any ailment he could prescribe for among us. We could not muster one. I confess I looked with some pride upon our seven healthy children, who had nothing the matter with them. I thought the doctor, too, looked with satisfaction at the group, as he said—'It will be your own fault, youngsters, if you ever have much to do with doctors.' Of Maggie he took a special farewell. He seemed pleased with her, and prophesied that if she took great pains she might grow up almost as good as her aunt.'—I hope her aunt feels flattered."

CHAPTER XI.

LORD CARLETON.

"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."

Proverbs of Solomon.

A SHORT time after the date of the last letter to his sister, my grandfather writes to her as follows:

"Sophia and I dined at the castle to-day. The change in her ladyship is very evident. She is silent and sad,-she who is naturally talkative and merry. But what can I say of the change in Carleton? When we were alone I turned the conversation on his wife. For the first time, for I know not how long, he spoke to me in the old way.

"Henry!' he exclaimed, 'what can I do? I stay in the room with her and the children till my brain burns, and I am obliged to leave them lest I should commit some act of madness. I feel the taint in my blood then! She is changed you say. Do I not know it? Do I not know the cause? I cannot

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bear to face the evil that is slowly coming on. She is ceasing to love, beginning to despise me—to look into my eyes for the cause of her child's malady. If she should find it there ?'

"He paused; and I was about to reply, 'Why not tell her the whole truth at once?' when I remembered Dr. Ward's warning; and knowing that the discussion of such a question would necessarily agitate him much, I determined to postpone it; and said, ‘Dr. Ward was of opinion that Lady Carleton had nó actual knowledge that there was insanity in the Raby family, and that by judicious management she need not be made aware of it for several years to come, if at all.'

“He laughed bitterly. 'Does the doctor know so little of women? They are all quick enough in discovering what concerns those they love, be it good or bad. She loves her child too well not to know that his disease is not common to all children.'

"I approached him by an irresistible impulse, and said, as I should have said twenty years ago: 'My dear friend, do at once the thing that is right. Do not sleep this night till you have told all to your wife.' He remained silent. Poor, proud, suffering heart!' I thought. I have been to blame in this matter, Margaret-much and grievously to blame! Poor Carleton! I have not done my duty by him. I see it all now. Since his marriage I have not sought-nay, rather have I shrunk from-any renewal of our old familiar heartintercourse. He has felt this, and has taken refuge in the stronghold of his pride. We two, who were nearer and dearer than ordinary brothers, have not known each other's heart for ten years until to-day! This is assuredly my fault more than

He knew my opinion on the question of marriage, for him. When I looked into his face I read something like this there. 'It is true. I admit it. I have done what my conscience does not approve entirely !—But no harm may come to any one. I will suffer no one, not even you, to accuse me of it. I do not ask for your approval; I abide by the consequences of my own acts.'

"Once, I remember, he said to me, as he pointed to his