The Cecil Whig., 1854-06-10

himself, and he therefore excused himself to
himself, with some mental apology. lie met
Mr. Blanchard on Change, and even requested
| him TO make some excuse that cvcning-but
the old gentleman would do 10 snch thrs.
Accordingly, evening found Henry walking
through precisely the same streets that he had
courscd regularly in the evening for months.
lie found Flora supported by pillows on the
sofa, and her smiles more than repaid him for
| beng Ills own messenger. He made tender
inquiries, which Flora answered with so much
evident wish to allay his anxiety, that he loved
her better than ever. She inquired in turn as
aiiectonatcly respecting his sister, as if she
1 had been her own. Henry regarded Flora as
martyr, who would suffer anything, even to
| the pangs of death, in silence, lert she should
cause useless anxiety to her friends. He ex-
pressed as much, as he gently pressed her
hand.
| "Nes," added her n.othcr, "that is precise
ly Flom's character. She would not have sent
for physician last night, but insisted upon
it, and DR.. Morphine was here from about the
time you left until nearly morning. Such a
night of anxiety as her father and I passed;
while she, dear girl, insisted all the time that
| she was hcttcr.'
"Oh yes" said Henry, ''now rccolect-"
| He stopped short, rccollccting more than he
dared cXprcsS-morc than he wished to ac-
| knowledge 10 him C.. The first mention of
DIR. Morphine merely re-awakod the idea that
he had heard something Of this hcforc--a Sc
cond thought recalled the whole of the
| Doctors scandalous insmlations, which, but
remembered by him. He was puzzled, panied,
confuScd-but still he hopcd.
''Rc ,ollcct what % said Mrs. Blanchard, and
Flora looked up inquiringly.
THAT Flora said, last night, she was i'll. y
1t was an awkward evasion. lie pcollcct-
cd no such thing. and she rccollectcd none
such. There was pause for some moments
which nobody could exactly understand. At
length Mrs. Blanchard, with the ready dcx-
terity of many old ladies, who get a party out
of one dilemma by leading it into worse, in
quircd, to turn the conversation, "who is your
sisters physician -
CDR. Morphine.
"-\n excellent physician, Mr.. Wentworth
we always call him in. He has been poor
Flora s physician from her cradle" And the
old lady run OH in an culogium upon DR.. Nor
phinc, which it seemed to Henry would be
endless, for he longcd to take his leave lie
was very much embarrassed and stealing a
glance at Flora he perceived she was also
much confused. This gave definite charac-
ter to his suspicious. In a few moments he
took his leave, and the accepted lover left the
house, for the first time in his life, positively
unhappy.
Henry was an allectionatc brother II may
seem almost impossible, but it is true that he
almost regretted to find his sister so well, that
further anxiety on her account was unnnccs-
sary and impossible: since, in the cessation of
her occupation of his mind, his thoughts must
wholly revert to that deeper cause of solici-
tudc-his unwilling suspicious respecting his
afiianccd wife. Circumstances, hitherto passed
mnoticcd, came up in dreadful review before
him. The whole night was slecplcss, and it
was no shame to his manhood that his pillow
that night was wet with tears. lie tried to
persuade himself to believe against fact lie
appealed to charity-to a stronger emotion
J. l.. :.
ton would remain, that when Flora Banch-
ARCH the belle, the beautiful accepted his
VOWS and scaled her own with too willing
cndcarments; SIZE WAS UNDER TIE INFLUENCE
OF INTOXICATING DRINK, She had in an un-
expected -''pedgcd him in wine"
Driven to this acknowledgement, he next
accident. No-no-no. That would not do.
We may deceive all the world and remain
ourselves un1cccived. lie could not keep down
the tyrant memory which dragged forward
fact after fact, the unwillingly received proofs
that the accident was one of a scries-proba-
bly, s..to be continued" In the morning, be-
fore he left the house for his counting-room
DR.. Morphine was announced.
"lIas my sister rclapscd!' e. asked Henry,
anXiously.
''Oh no, sir. ah-ch-thc fact is, I have
callcd"---
$50 perceive" said Henry filling up the
, pause.
"To bcg-that is, to assure you that moth
ing said yesterday morning had any refer
cncc to the Blanchards."
"Who said it had !' inquired Henry He
knew he had mentioned the conversation to
no person, and thence reasoned that his name
and relation to the family had been mention
ed to the Dsctor at the Blanchard house. He
knew just how to interpret the Doctors pro.
testations, and this call supplied the only
link wanting i'll the Chain of evidence. 1t
was hard to think that Flora had lowered
herself to seek an explanation of Hcnry's en-
barrassmcnt and coldncss from the Doctor:
but what else could be expected of woman
in the habit of duplicity to conceal willing
inirmity!' The Doctor was confused.
".But, nv dear sir" at length he bcpan.