Year: 1859

was succeeded by darkness, she laid
her cheek against the side of the car.
riage and fell into heavy sleep bro
ken by moans and sudden starts.
Gently Mr.. Wcthcrcll drew her head
down on his shoulder, and supported
her with his arm while she slept. The
carriage lamp flashing in at the win
/ dow, shonc on her pale face, making
1T look more deathly still, until he
trembled at the thought of separation.
What might not happen before they
met again Never had he loved her
so much as now, in her sorrow and
helplessness. "Poor child ~ he cx.
claimed, STOPPING down to kiss her
forehead. Opening her eyes, she
would have risen, but he held her still.
You arc very weary, and will be
better soon,' he said, and with a sigh
of relief she sunk back again, though
he saw that she did not sleep.


They arrived quite late in the eve
ming, and without any delay Helen
went to her chamber. Mr.. Wethercll
was to start early the next morning,
but as she still slept heavily, Mrs.
Granger said, he waited. He could
not so without bidding her farewell.
1t was nearly eleven before she came
down, for he would not have her dis.
turbcd, and the carriage had been
sometime waiting. He was alone
when she came into the parlor, look
ing much better than on the night be-
fore, but still very pale.


I" am sorry that | have delayed
you." she said. "You should not have
waited for me-


:" | could not leave without seeing
you once more, Hclen," he said in a
choking voice, for he found the part
ing harder than he had anticipated
Have you any messages for your
sister or Louis 2" he asked. None
at all, thank you," she answered
gently. He turned towards the door,
and then came back to where she stood
lie could not part thus coldly Have
you nothing to say to me before |
leave, Helen ?" he asked "This part.
ing may be the last. Oh, tell me, il
you say nothing else, that we have
not been deceived in thinking that
you loved us. Have you, indeed, any
affection for us ~


"Morc than | knew until now," she
said, family.


"Then why will you not, even now,
coniidc in me, my child ?"


Hush | cannot tell TWAS not
from no want of love or confidence
that l was silent 50 long" she said.
a. n"s th;nr Uncle WotLaralI I n,nsf
say. Don't condemn me entirely, un-
til you know something more.' There
was such an air of conscious inno-
cence in her manner, that he gave the
required promise with greater per-
pleXity than ever, and most reluctant
ly left her.


\ week from that time Hazclwood
was closed up, and the family were
on their way to the place selected for
their winter residence. This was Just
what Alice had desired. TO have
Helen and Hugh both out of her
way, and her cousin dependent upon
her for amusement and the thousand
little attentions that an invalid needs
and loves. Louis health seemed for
a time after they had settled in
their new home, to be perfectly re-
stored. He rode, went out cunning
and fishing with his father, studied
and drew with Alice, and wrote long
letters to Helen, of whose innocence
he had still no doubt. But when his
father began to feel that his fears
might have been premature, the old
symptoms returned again, encroaching
more and more upon the apparent
health, and after few weeks of dread.
ful suspense, the case was pronounced
to be a rapid consumption, beyond the
hope of cure. One physician after
another was brought, but all said the
same thing, and despairing at last of
any help, Mr.. Wetherell gave up the
attempt to cure his son, and only tried
70 prepare himself and Louis for the
great change.


What alterations of despair and
resignation, what vain hopes when a
faint return of health tlickered for a
day above the invalid, what dreary re-
turns of the certainty of approaching
separation that always came after
ward Mr.. Wetherell suffered, those
only know who have watched the IA
ding of q beloved friend who slid so
gently from their arms towards death,
that it seemed as if one close embrace
would have held them here. Day af-
ter day Louis grew weaker and more
spiritual, and day after day his father
prayed more bitterly for the resigna-
tion and comfort that would not come
to him. But death waits for nothing,
not even for the preparation that those
most need who pass his dreary por-
tails, and soon it was evident to all
that there was little time remaining to
Louis. And no one knew this better
than he, or was calmer in the certain
ty of the change. Meditation, and a
natural sense of religious truth had so
prepared him, that he could look fear.
lcssly and hopefully before him, and
only the wish remained to comfort
his father and have justice done to
Helen.


When there could no longer be any
doubt of his approaching end, he had
asked his father one day, if he never
imagined that Hugh might be con
cerned in some plot to injure Helen Oh
carry out a fraud for some purpose.
Mr.. Wetherell discouraged the idea,
for he thought that there could be no
possible motive for such an act, and
painful as the thought was, he felt
that it was much more reasonable to
suppose that Helen was herself in
/ volved in questionable connection.
} Deeply as he loved her, he knew too
J much of the world to believe apparent
: impossibilities, or to give entire conf
dencc to fair appearance alone. But
Louis had set his heart on seeing
Hugh. again, and vain as his father
believed the attempt would be, he
} wrote for the young man to come on