The Morning herald., 1877-02-24
cord IND BlS|lIIE
CHAPTER xxflII,
"pICKBD UP ADRIFT."

Ia he smoke he locked down upon he
u.rhIe face. He did not see LaDghetti'
n.snt,nsnce. Had he done 80 he woult
I've wondered. For .Langhetti's eye
.u.sned u to seek to pierce the very soul 0
ns.n.d. His face became transformed
~ usual serenity vanished, and there wa
..s,r w. wonder, intense and anxious curios.
;tv~an endeavor to see if there was no
scne G deep meaning underlying Despard'a
.orls But Despard showed no emotion.
TIs was conscious of no deep meaning. HI
msrelv NO murmured to himself as he looked
dorm upon the unconscious face:
INV sick sister-my sister Beatrice"
Iarphetti said not a word, but sat in
.;lsnce absorbed in one intense and won.
dsriug r gaze. Despard seemed to dwell
aoau this idea, fondly and tenderly.
'aShe is not one of that BROOD" said he,
after a pause. ut is in name only that
,bp belongs to them."
aThey are tiends and she is an angel"
md Langhettl.
"Beaven has sent her to us we must
meserve her forever"
F"If she lives" said Langhetti, "she must
never 20 back"
Voback; !. |" ;; cried De'pard. "Better far
mher to die"
Imyself would die rather than give her
'aApd |, too. But we will not. I will
,dop, her. Yes, she shall cast away the
Ink that binds her to these accursea ones
her vile name. I will adopt her. She
hsll have my name-she shall be my sis
IT, She shall be Beatrice Despard.
And surely" continued Despard, look
ipg genderly down, 'surely, Of all the Des-
pald race there was never one 80 beautiful
and 50 pure as She"
Lang ghetti did not say word, but look
ed at Despard and the one whom he thus
called his adopted sister with an emotion
which he could not control. Tears started
TO bis eyes yet over his brow there came
something which is not generally associ-
s!ed with tears-a lofty, exultant express
sion, an air ofjoy and peace.
"Your sister," said Despard, "shs II
uune her back to health. She will do,
for your sake, Langhetti-or rather from
her ovn noble and generous instincts. In
Thornton Grange she will, perhaps, find
some aeviation for the sorrows which she
may have endured. Our care shall be
around her, and we can all labor together
for her future welfare"
They at length reached the inn of whic
they bad spoken, and Beatrice was tenderly
lifted out and carried up stairs. She was
mentioned as the sister of the Rev. Mr..
Despard, Of Hobby, who was bringing her
back from the seaside, whittier she had
gone for her health. Unfortunately, she
had been too weak for the journey.
The people of the inn showed the kind
eat attention and the warmest sympathy.
A doctor was sent for, who lived at q vii
lage two miles farther on.
Beatrice recovered from her faint, but
remained unconscious. The doctor con-
'idered that her brain was affected. He
shook bis head solemnly over it, as doctors
always do when they have nothing in par
feuar to say. Both Langhetti and Des-
Pard knew more about her case than he
did.
They saw that rest was the one thing
needed: But rest could be better attained
IN Holby that here; and besides, there was
lne danger ofpursuit. It was necessary to
sAlety. 1t was necessary to remove her ;
q ana that too, without delay. A close car
flaSe, procured without much difficulty,
Sna lhe patient was deposited therein.
A SLOW journey brought them by easy
''agee to !Hclby. Beatrice remained un-
conscious. A nurse was procured, who
Travelled with her. The condition of Beat
[lce was the same which she described in
aes .sr rd!ary. Great grief and extraordinary
'aunerlng y and excitement had overtasked
ne oraln, and it had given way. So Des-
'afa ! and Langhetti conjectured.
At last they reached Hobby. They
'Foceeded at once to Thornton Grange.
What is this ?" cried Mrs. Thornton,
mo had heard nothing from them, and
10 out upon the piazza to meet as she saw
ZEN en- coming.
\ have found Bice," said Langhetti,
'nd aG,! have brought her here"
Where is she ?'
.lhere," said Langhetti. 'I give her
your care-it ia for you to give her back
rvv v>u,vr~