The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

a â- I •f b The Hllver Boat, The room wiw hiuhud: ami the iiiooiiliitlt (ell lu broken bautlK on Ihv Kurret t1oi>r ; Bo cold and dampâ€" tlit^ Hliad^iwH of death Had falWu Ihree hours b»'for»*. Obi she was the child of his old age, An4 hhv lay in tug arms a-dyin^ . The uiuht-wind <-rciit up the narrow tituir Hut tied throuKh the window aighin^. Her yellow hair fell in oheaves of K<*ld, Hfr bn-Hthini: waK hurried aiMl low, Her nioilier had died a uiKht like thia, JuMl beveu lung yearb a^o. D»y by day, with a terrible love, A love that waH unavailinij. He had watoti«-<l the liKlii in her blue eyes, HVeadily, hopelemily failint,'. " Bpare her, Kood Lor<l, for »he must not die!' if is wordtt were di»tractefl and wild ; Uod help him now -for the old inann life It bound up in the life of his child. •• Fathur; iihc cried, with a midden 8treD((th. â- â€¢I»ok, oh; look at It, sailing there!: The t!o.Kl Lord has •-ent Hi« silver boat - He has heard and answered niy prayer. •â-  It catne last nit«lit. but you were asleep. The windows were fastened tiiilit: held out liiv iirlUH but it sailed away. Hailed far away out of Ki^hl. The old man 8 ives were blinded with tears, As thev tollowV.l liers to tlir sky. And he saw only the i rescent luoon In a storm of clouds ilrift by. But a litht not b.im of earth or sky Khoue now in the eyes ot the iimlden : •' It conies, dear father, it comes! she cried, â- For tlie weary and heavy-laden. " I shall sail on tbrouRh the brilliant stars. To (iod s beautiful home on hi|{h, Anil He will send it nyain tor you In a llltle whili (hkiJ bye. ' â- d from the ((arret floor, cent moon sailed out of n The mf>ojill(:ht stray Th»' cnseeiit moon sailed out of ni;;ht; Hut the old man knew that his wife and child Had met in (iixls home that nii;lii. The ijuii-er. SIR HUGH'S LOVES. Well. It was iiotsncli a (lull eveiiinK after all ; neither of theiii could tell how tlie time had pastHed » hen Kllertiin caiiic ill to »«y the last train had liefii iliie for Bonie tli'ne. and, as Sir Huuli hail not rotuiiied, woul'l my lady have llie lnmiK^ shut up ; could It ai-liiaily be past eleven, itiid Krie mnd she Btill talking alKitit thin wonderful story. I'liy'a dieeko were •luito piiik when she bade KrIe nood-ninht ; her eyes shining like stars. Oh, these dear [H'ople, she thounlit. how straiitje and sad it all was, and yet how iiiterestiiii{ ; she had made Erie desrrilio tins Crystal over and over aitaiii. She tiiiist be an odd i^irl, she thoui;ht -so passionate and so uiniis'ipliiied, and to think she was livin;^ with the other one, with the fair hair ami the pretty •mile ; but when she had said this then- had been no aiiswerinn smile on Krie's (ace. " Yes, he h*1 retiirncil, seriously, •• I have (.fleii womlered to see them such friends . they are so utterly dissimilar. t'ernâ€" Misa Tralford I mean is gentle and yielding- more like you, I'ay ; and Mia* r'errersâ€" as I snp|io«e 1 oii»jht to itall her â€" IS so hi){li spirited and proud I often wonder how I'ercy dares to make love to her, hut he seems to dare aiiythim;. Well, Kav thought alioiit it all when slie want tu lieti ; ahu hail t;<>t used to her bi|< â- liadowy room by this time she lay wide awake watehinn the lire lii;lit llicker and daiieu on the walls , how mlil that people who loved i-aidi otlnr so iiiiieh slioiilil niiHiinderstaml eai h other so straii|.;el\ , of course CrNstal lowil this :;rand hs.kiiii; Ilahv, and yet of her own anord she was hidiii((from liim ; and Kay thrilled with pity and alTcrtionale syin|>athy, as she poiidired over the sad storv. She trn-d to tell Iliiuh when he returned the next day, but 111! was too busy, or else unwillinj; to listen to her. â- ' Yes, I know all about it I never eared very much for the nirl," he said, hastily . r.:id then, as I ay looked iiiteiigely surprised, he addo<l rather irritably : " I told you we were old rrionds oncv, and of course 1 saw Misa Cryatal when I visitid at the (irani^e , she was never my taste handsome, of coiirae, hut one i oiilil ace she had a bit of the devil in her she had a tem|ier of her own if you like ; and Mr. Kerrers H|>oiled her ; he was terribly infatuated ~I daresay he is still- men wiil l)e fiKils someliiiies. There, don't keep me talkinij, Kay . of course every one in Handyelitfe and Singleton knows the story. I am not so sure that it was not wise of the |{irl to run away after all." " IIiiKh iiiiist have Ixxui very intimate with them all, ' thonnht Kay when she was left alone. " How 1 wish he were not alwavs too busy to talk to me. I>le tmys he is sure he is killiii|> himself riiHliini; about as he does, and he ihsis look ternlilyill. I wish he would see Dr. Martin, hut of rtmrso my askiiiit him to do so would only make liiiii aii|{ry. It is very wroiii; of me, lam afraid, but 1 cannot help loii|(iii|> to know why IliiHh lias .|iirtirelle<l with them so. I ilon't like to vex liiin, hut it seems to me as thouijh I have a ri|{ht to know nil that c mi-erns my hiishand ' and I'ay's throat aaelled anil her eyes ^rew n little dim " I'erlmpH when sometliinij happens he will think me oilier anil talk to me more," ahe said . ami though she was alone a rosy blush came over her fare. Kay was very sorry when the time oamn for I'.rle to jjo hack to llelnrave Ilousr, alie woiilil miss him midly slie kiii'W. They had resumed their old walks and drives, and Kay paid visits to llonnie lless in her Rtable, and taiiifht tlie pretty enatiiro to follow her over the place like a doj;. I'jrle was sorry to go too , he had i^rown very iniuli aUached to hia new cousin. Mr. Kerrers was To join him a little later at IlelKrave Mouse, and he pnunised to write and i^ive her full piirtiriilars of their visit to Keiilah I'lace. In his heart he had a Hecret loiiuinn to feel Ki^rn's hand In his aijaiii, and to see her hrinht welcoiiiiiiy smile. " I have been here a whole month," he Krninbled ; •' no wonder Uiinh is tiieilof ine by this tune." « - f« . Kay was rather surprised then to receivi a letter from him two or three ilays after wards tellinn her that Mr. Korrers' visit was indefinitely postponed. " Kvory tiling has ^joiie wrnng," ho wrote ; " anil the fates, those inisidiievoiis cross Mrained old women witli thooneeyobetweei tlioui, are dead againat iis. " I went over to llenlah V'laea the lirst <>vaniii|{ just to reconnoitre, and was much disKiiHted to hoar that Miss Itavonport Miaa Ferrers I mean, only I stick to the old name from habit ~ was nursing one nf her pupils with the measlos. The little rascal â€" it is a boy â€" had refaaed to te nursed by any one else ; and there she is in the curate's house kept in durance vile ; and, to make matters worse, there is some talk of her going out of town with them. " I wrote off to the Grange at once, and Miss Ferrers answered me. Her brother would defer his visit for the present, she said, until Miss Davenport was back in her old quarters. He was much disappointed, of course, at this delay , but he was satisfied to know that she was in (jood hands, and he was used to disappointoienta. I did feel so sorry for the poor old fellow when I read that. ' And the rest of the letter was tilled with lively descriptions of a ball where he had met Miss Selby and danced with her half the niyht. Fay shook her head over this part of Erie's letter. He was an incorrigible llirt, she waa afraid ; but she missed him very much. The old Hall seemed very iiuiet without Erie's springy footsteps and merry whistle, and somehow Kay was a little quieter too. Kor a change was passing over Hugh's Wee Witie in those early spring days. With the new hope there came a new and tender expression on her sweet face. She grew less childlike and more womanly, and day by day there grew a certain modest dignity that became her well. Hugh was very gentle with her, and careful to guard her from all impru- dence ; but life was very difficult to him just then, and he could not always restrain his growing irritability. He was ill, and yet unwilling to own anything was amiss. He scoffed at the idea that his nerves were diaorgani/ed , and with the utmost recklessness aeemcd bent on ruining his tine constitution. His restlessness and inward struggles were making him thin and haggard ; still any fatigue was Udter than inaetioii, ho thought. Often, after a long day spent in rilling over the Redmond and Wyngato I states, ho would set out again, often fasting, to walk across ploughed lands and through miry lanes to visit some sick laborer, and then sit up half the night iu his solitary study. Years afterwards he owneii that be never looked hack on this part of his life without an inward ahiidder. What would have liecome of him, he said, if the hand of I'rovidence had not laid him low Ixfore he had succeeiled in ruining himself, b<sly and soul '.' No one but Ilusjli knew liow often ho had yielded to the temptation to drown his iiiwanl miseries in pernicious drugs ; how ill those solitary vigils, while his innooent child-wife was sleeping peacefully like an infant, his half iiiaddeiietl brain conjured up delirious fancies that seeineil to people the dark library with haunting faces. Hut he never meant to harm himself really . he would say in his aolier da)li>;tit retlectlima he was only so very wretched. Margaret's intlueiice liadalw»)8 kept linn pure, ami he waa not the mall to tiinl pleasure in any dissipation. No. lie wouhl not harm himself , but he wanted more to do. If he could rtpres<Mit his I'oimty, for example; but he lotd lost Ills seat last eleition to his neiuhhor Colonel Dacre ! If he could travel , if I'ay would only spare hiiii ' And then he shook his head as he thought of hia unborn uhild. You look ao ill. Hugh," Kay Wfftild say with tears iii her eyes when he came up to Wish hergiMid by. ' I wish you would stay ^l Ith nie a little." Hut HiikIi would only ^ive a fonvd ailgli and say timt his " Wee Witie was Im'coiii- iiig more fanciful that ever, and that he shi uld not know what to do wi'h her if he went on like this:" and then, kissing her hastily, and unhsisening the little hands from his neck, he would go out of the room pretending to whistle. Itiit one evening when they were together ill the library he fell asleep while she was talking to him, and looked so strange and lliislied that Kay got frightened and tried to wake him. " Come, Hugh. " she said, softly, " it is II o'ehx'k, and I caiiiiot leave you like this, and I am HO tired and sleepy, dear " and she knell down and put her han<l umliT his head, and stroked hack the hair from his hot forehead. Hut Hugh only muttered somelliing inaudible, and turned his face away. And Kay, watching h in anxinuslv. felt her heart sink with some undetined fear, and presently rang for Ins valet. " Haville," she said, as the ninii entereil the room, " I do not know what is the matter with Sir Hugh to iiiulit, he sleeps so heavily and looks so strange. If it were not so late, and I were sure that he would not iiiliid it, I would send for l>r. Martin." " Nonsense, " exclaimed her husband ilrowsily, for this threat of sending for the doidor liad roused him ellectiially, ami he managed to sit up mid look at tliein. •' Why, what a white shaking child you look, you are not lit to Iw up so late, Kay , why don't you take more careof yourself .' ' " I was so frit;liteiied, dear, " she wills pered ; " 1 could not bear to leave you. I am sure you are III, Hugh; do let Saville help you to Iwd." "Oil, is thiit Haville.' I thought I thought well never mind. There is iiotli iiig the matter with nie, Saville, is there "' "No, Sir Hugh; only it is late, and 1 expect you are tired, as my lady said." "till, hut she said 1 was ill" very i|iieruloiiHly ; " I have never had a day's illiiiHs in my life, have I, Haville .' Mrs. Heron will know ; ask iMrs. Heron - well, 1 think 1 may as well go to bed and have my sleep out." And the next day ho reiterated the same thing, that there was nothing the matter With him, nothing ; only tliey had not called him at the usual time, and he had sli'pl late ; hut he liivd no appetite, and did not care to rise. It was foolish to hava tired himself out BO. he owned. Hut If Kay wore good and would not Riuild him, shn might sit with hull and read sonietliing amusing. Hut he did not tell her, or Saville either, that he had tried to dress himself and had fallen ba( k half fainting on the bed, or of the strange horrible f(«lings that were creeping over liim, and that made liiin dread to be alone. Only h'ay waa very disappointed that ho did not seem to hear aiiything she read ; or rememlMir a word of it. It was the shooting pain in his head, he told her ; a;id then he laughed in a way that was hanlly mirthful, and said lie would try to sleep. Hut that night hef never closed hia eyes, and yet the next day he would not allow Fay to send for the doctor, though she begged piteously for permission. Doctors were old women, he said, and Dr. Martin especially. It was only the pain in his head that kept him awake and made him so feverish ; but towards the evening his eyes began to ^hine beautifully, and be grew quite lively and talkative. He said he was much better, if only his head and hands were not burning like live coals ; and that he meant if it were tine to drive Fay out in the ponycarriaue to- morrow, and they would go and call on Margaret. Fay stared, as wellahe might. Did Hugh mean Miss Ferrers .' she asked, timidly. And Hugh, speaking thickly, like a drunken man, said, " Yes. certenly ! and why not '!" and he would aek Margaret to go with him to Shepherd's Corner to morrow, and see Tim Hartlebury, who was lying dying or dead, he did not know which ; but ajroput to the Sudbury politics, and the old 1 ory member, Lord Lyndhurst of Lyndhurst, at whom the Radical party, with the publican of the " Green Drake" at their hfad, had shield rotten eggs, would Lady Redmond assure him that the Grange waa not infested with serpents. The old hydra headed reptile had live<l there in his fether's time, and there was a youug brood left, he heard, that were nourished on Margaret's roses. No, he repeated, if there were serpents at the Grange they would not drive there, for he was afraid of Raby. and he hated parsons, for even blind ones could see sometimes, and they might tell talesâ€" liesâ€" he said, beating wildly on the bed-clothes ; lies, every one of them, aiid would they please takeaway his Wee Witie, for he was tired of her. And Kay, trembling very much, called out to Saville to come ijuickly, for Sir Hugh waa talkingsofunnily. she could not make out what he meant. .Vnd Haville, as he stood and held his master's hands, thought his talk ao very funny that he summoned Mrs. Heron and l^Uerton at once, while the groom saddled one of the horses and galloped off for Dr. Martin ; and when Dr. Martin arrived, and had seen his patient, the mvstery waa soon cleared. Sir Hugh had brain fever ; and that night Kllerton and .Saville had to hold him down In his l>ed to prevent him throwing himself from the window. He very nearly did it once in the cunning of his madness, when they left him unguarded for a moment ; and after that they had to strap him down. They had taken his Wee Witie from him almost by force ; she had clung to him so - her |HHir mad Hugh, as she called him. Hut Mrs. Heron took the distracted young creature in her motherly arms when Dr. Martin brought hi r downstairs, and s<n)thed her as though she were a child. Kay put her head down on theliouaekeeper's shoulder and cried until she could cry no longer. " Will he die--williiiy<larlingaie?" was all she could say at first ; ami then she would ask piteoiisly to go back to him. Hut no one venturetl to let her cross the threshold. After this there were two hospital nurses sent down from London, and Dr. Coinvuv. a well known physician ill town, met Dr. Martin in consultation. Saville and Kllerton were always in the sickroom when wanted. Kverything that iinmey could procure, or faithfulatteiidance could give, was lavished on the patient, but for a long .time there was no improve- ment. ^ 1 If Ills violence had not bamsheil Kay from the room his miserable ravings would. The nurses were loo much liccustomed t) such sct-iies to take much notice of tliiir patient's wihl talk; but the trusty old servants, who knew their niaster's sci ret. shuddered as thev heard hliii, for his talk was alwaysof Margaret. Ho never even inenttoned his Wee Witie. • Oil for Margaret I ' he cried, to give him water to quench liis thirst ; for lie was ill tonnuiit, and no one would give hiui driiik. Oh for Margaret's c(ki1 hand- for Maggie for his own lovo Margaret ; and so on, and so on, through the long hours of that fi'vcreil dream. How that one idea I>e8et him t She was a star, and he went seeking her through space till he got lost and entangled in the Milky Way, and revolvitl madly through the infinite. She was in I'araiiiso, standing on tho topmost star of the golden ladder, stretch- ing out her hands and calling to him to come to her before the door was shut ; and e\i'r as he tried to climb, the liends came swarminn from their pits of darkness, and dragged him down with endleas fall- ings and preoipitoua crashings, while his Wee Wilie laughed mockingly from tho distance. •• Oh for Margaret, Margaret, Margaret I" and so on through the day and through the night, until they thought it must have killed him. Those wore terrible days at Re<lmoiid Mall. The very nervaiits went carefully about the house with hushed voices. Uuik iiig after their young mistriss with pitying e\cs, as -,lit! waiidei't d like a lost spirit from one roiMii to another, generally followed by the faithful .lanet. KrIe came down once, but Kay grew so hysterical at the sight of her old favorite that Mrs. Heron was quite frightened, and lH<gged hiiii to go away ; and, as he could do no good, he acquiesced very sensibly in this piece of advicfl. I\lrs. Heron waa growing quite unhappy about iiiy lady. Nothing she could say would make Fay cease from those aimless wanderings ; she could not eat, she could not rest, and her tits of weeping seemed only to exhaust her. Nothing did her any good until Dr. Martin came to her one day, and, taking the thin littlo hand in his, gave her his faithful promise that, if the fever abated, and she were ationg enough, she should help to iiiirae him by and by, hut it would depend upon herself, he said, meaningly ; and I'ay promised to eat and sleep that she might be lit to nurse Hugh. She meant to bo good and keep her promise ; but one evening the longing to see her huaband waa too strong for her. Saville had just gone downstaira for soim tiling and liad left he dressing room door ajar. Fay, gliding down tho corridor in her white dress, caught sight of the half opened door, and tho temptation waa too stnnig for her ; the next moment she waa in the dimly lighted ^loiii, with her finger on the handle of the closed do<ir. It yielded to her touch at once, and Fay'.s hungry eyes tried to pierce through lihe semi darkneaa. It was the oriel chamber, and Sir Hugh lay on the very beil where, Mrs. Heron hiid solemnly aaaurod l-'ay, many a Red- mond had breathed his first and last breath. It had been found impossible 'o . move him, but Fay did not remember this as she atood with beating heart, not darbg , to move a atep. It was very quiet and stillâ€" one of the strange nurses was sitting by the bed with her face toward the patient ; she had not heard Fay's stealthy entrance; the next moment 'Fay choked back a sob th»t threatened to rise in her throat, for she had caught sight at last of the whi'.e changed face that lay on the pillow ; ai:d then, regardless of everything but her love and longing, she glided quickly to the bed, and kissing the wide staring eyes, laid the shaven head tenderly upon her bosom. •• Oh, my lady I" exclaimed the nurse, in a terrified voice, •• thia ia very wrongâ€" very wrong indeed." â- â€¢ Hush- 1 am his wifeâ€" I have a right to be here. You know me, do you not. my darling Hugh '.'" Poor Fay ! she had her punishment then; for Hugh did not know her in the least, and seemed to shrink from her with horror; he begged her to send Margaret to him â€" his dear Margaret, and not stand there like some white horrible statue dresseii up in grave-clothes. • You had better go, my lady, yon are only exciting him." observed the nurse, ijuietly ; and Fay wrung her hands and hurried from the room. Saville found her crouching against the dressing room door, with her face hidden in her hands, and fetched Mrs. Heron at once to coax her away ; but Fay hardly seemed to under- stand their meaniiig ; her face had a white, strained look upon it as Mrs. Heron put her arm round her and led her tenderly to her room. CHAI'TER XX. " LITTLE JOYCE." In the cruel lire of sorrow Cast thy bean, do not faint <ir wail. Let thy* heart he firm and steady. Do not let thy ipirit .|uall . Hut wait till tlu- trial be over .\mi take thy heartauain : For as gold is tried by fire, A heart must ho trie<( by pain. .idel'tuU Anvt ProiUr. •Oh, my lady, what will Pr. Martin say.' " exclaimed Mrs. Heron, as shealmost lifted her young mistress on to the couch, and stood over her rubbing her hands. It was a warm .Vpril evening, but Fay was shivering and her teeth chattering as though with colli. " What does it matter what he says.'" returned Kay ; the girl's lips were wliitf , and there wa'i still a scared look in her eyes. " Is that why they would not let me sec him â€" bocauae they have cut off bis hair and made him look so unlike himself, and because he talks s* strangely .'' " Yes, my lady, aud for your own gocHl, and because- " but i'ay interrupted her excitedly. •â-  My good '? as though, anything could do me good while my darling husband sutTcrs so cruelly. Oh, Mrs. Heron, would you Ixlieve it '.' he did not know me : he looked as though he were afraid of me, his own wife : he told me to go away and not touch him, and to send Margaret. Oh," with a sort of restless despair in her voice, " who is this Margaret of whom he always speaks .'" Mrs. Heron's comely face pale<l a little with surpriseâ€" as she told Kllerton after- wards, she felt at that moinent as thout;h a feather would have knoc-ked her down. "My Ileal I was Ii- my mouth,'* •i.e .^b.fcrrv^«i, feelingly, '• when I heard the pretty creature say those words, ' who ia thi.s Margaret of whom he always speaks.' Oh, 1 was all in a tremble when I heard her, and then all at oncu I remembered Miss .loyce, and it came to me as n sort of inspiration." •• I 11 you know who he means '.'"continued Kay. languidly. " Indeed, my lady, there is no telling," returned the good liOU8eki-e|>er. cautiously ; " it is often the case with jK-ople in fever that they forget all aUiut the present, and jiist go back to past days ; and so it may Ih- Sir Hugh thinks about the little sister who died when he was a lad at school, and of whom he was so fond. " " Sir Hugh never told me he had had a sister," replied lay, roused to some anima- tion at this. ' Was her name Mari;aret .'" " Yes. tobesure." Hut Mrs Heron fore- bore to mention that the child had alwavs been calletl by her s*"coiid name Joyce. ".Xy, she was a pretty littlo dear, and Master Hugh I mean Sir Hugh doateil on her; she had the whooping-cough very badly, and Miss ,1oy -I mean Miss Margaret waa always delicate, and it just carried her off." '• And my husband was fond ot her?" waa the musing reply, " and yet it seems strange that he should go back all those years and think of his baby sister." • I don't think Dr. Martin would say it was strange if you were to ask him, my lady. ' was the diplomatic answer. '• We might meiitioii it to-morrow, and see what he says. You may dei>end iiixin it that folk travel backwards in their mind when the fever gets hold of their brain. Most likely he is thinking a deal of his mother and Miss Margaiet, for he was always an atTcctioiiato lad waa Master Hugh." " Dear Margaret I that was what he called her." â- â€¢ .\y, no doubt, precious little lamb. I can see her now, with her curly head and white frock, as she pelted Master Hugh with rose-leaves on the lawn. Now, inv lady, you are only fit for bed. and there is not a morsel of color in your face, and Kllerton says you hardly touched dinner. Now, I am going to bring you up a glass of wino and a 8and,vich, and you will let Janet help you undress." Kay was too weary to resist. What did it matter, she thought again : but with her usual 8wi>et courtesy she thankoil Mrs. Heron, and tried to swallow a few mouth- fiils, though they seemed to choke her, but she w-as glad when they left her alone. Sli-ep .' how waa she to sleep, with this nightmare ofliorror oiipreaaingher ,' .\gaiii, the poor shaven head waa lying in her lioaom. She was kissing the wide staring eyes. Why had he pushed her from him .' â- ' t)h Hugh, you ought to have known me." she sobbed, as she tossed wearily in the darkness. Janet who waa sleeping in the adjoining room, heard her once and came to her bedside. " Were yon calling me, my lady ?" she asked. " No, Janet," answered the jioor child. " I am only crying becuase I am so unhappy." " Hotter go to sleep, my lady, " was Jaiiet'a aympathising reply ; " things seem always worse in the dark ; moat likely we shall hear the master is better to-uiorrow. Saville says he has a deal of strength in him and will cheat the doctors yet ;" and somehow this homely consolation soothed Fay, and by and by she slept the unbroken sleep of youth. Dr. iiartin listened to Mrs. Heron's account with a very grave face the next morning, but he chose to make light of the whole attair to Fay. , â-  You hardly deserve to be told that this escapade of yours. Lady Redmond, has done our patient no barm," he observed in a half-joking voive. " Sir Hugh is i}uieter to-day- much quieter. I should not be surprised if there be decided im- provement in a few hours, bnt," as Fay's eyes filled with tears of thankfulness, " it w'as a very risky thing to do, and as yoa deserve to be punished for it, I most insist that these ponies of yours, who are eating their heads off with idleness, shall be put in harness at once, and you will please take a long drive that will not bring you within sight of Redmond Hall for the next two hours.'' Fay laughed at the Doctor's grim face, but she was ready to promise him obedience if Hugh were better ; she was quite willing to take the drive ; she rang and ordered the ponies at once, and took the rains in her own hands. "The fresh spring sunshine was delicious ; the soft breezes seemed laden with messages of hope. Dr. Martin was right when he ordered that drive. Fay's little pale face looked less miserable as she restrained her ponies' frolics. She found herself listening to the birds and noticing the young spring foliage with her old interest as they drove through the leafy lanes. Fay had just turned her ponies' heaih towards a winding road that led straight to the shore, when the frisky little animals shied playfully at a lady in a grey cloak who was standing by the hedge looking at a nest of young linnets. As she turned Fay saw that it was Miss Ferrers, and involuntarily checked ponies, and at the same moment Ferrers stepped into the toad. •- Oh, Lady Redmond, '" she said, F'ay wondered why the was so pale, she been ill too .' • Thia is a most unex- pected pleasure. May Iâ€" may I"â€" hesitat- ing for a moment. " ask you to atop and speak to me '.' " •â-  Certainly." returneil Fay ; and with i^uick impulse she handed the rains to the groom, and sprang into the road. • Take the ponies up and down. Ford ; I shall not be long. I was just going down on the beach for a breath of sea-air, " she con- tinued, turning to Margaret, " and I am so glad I have met you, because we can go together," for she thought Hugh would certainly not mind her exchanging a few courteous words with Miss Ferrers when they met face to face ; besides Miss Ferrers had aske<t to speak to her. " I wanted to knowâ€" but of course 1 see by your face^that Sir Hugh is better,' began Margaret, but her dry lips would hardly fashion the words. '• Oh yes,"' returne<l Fay, eagerly. ' Pr. Martin says he is quieter, much quieter, this morning, and he hopes to find de- cided improvement in a few hours ; oh. Miss Ferrers, it has been such a terrible time, I do not know how 1 have lived throuuh it." • It must have been dreadful for you. and your are looking ill yourself. Lady . Redmond. " with a pitying glance at the small white face that looked smaller and i thinner since she .saw it last. I do not know how I have been. " \ returned Fay, simply. " I seemed to have ' no feeling, the time passed somehow, it was always mealtime, and one could not eat, and then night came, but it was not aUvays I possible to sleep. I was always wander- ing alxiut, and it did not seem easy to pray, I and then they came and told me it was I wrong to grieve so, but how could 1 help â-  it '.''" } " Was there no one to come to you. to be with you, I mean ' but Fay shook her head. , 'To becontlnueil.i her Miss and Had Timber Pr«nts. .\n Albany corre8[H>iulent of the Uanien- crs" Monthlii gives the actual auioiint of timber grown on the farm of I. G. Smock, of Holmdel, N.J., one portion of which, containing thirty-seven hundreths of an aero or fifty nine square rods, proiluced 1. 4llt> live holetl fence (>08ts, which sold at -10 cents each ; l.'iO smaller poata at 15 cents each, and 'ioO stakes at 5 cents, amounting to $.5!i7.40, or at the rate of Sl.i'iU an acre. Other portions of the farm gave 4,000 posts at 40 cents each or Sl.tllW, besides smaller amounts. The coat of cutting, dressing and boring is not stated. The trees were raised on broken portions of the farm, too rough for tillage, aud were cut nine years ago. They were planted at intervals since lH:iO. the average age of the trees being about fifty years, 'i'he manage- ment which they received is not stated. On tho measured jiortion it will be iierceived that the aiiiiiial profit per acre on the growth of the trees, not including intereat, was i'Ai. As thia result appears to have been obtained from rojigh land which was not subjected to cultivation, it would be interesting to know what could be had from good. Well ciiltivatoil ground. The area cut over nine years ago is now covered with a luxuriant growth of handaonie young trees which have sprung up from the cuttings. A Terrllde Ttireat An Irish laboier in Hoston waa starting ' out one morning for his work and a small boy of â- < or 4 years insisted on trotting along after him. The father kept telling the dirty little morsel of humanity to go baik, but the urchin kept stcaiJily on, until thev came to a place where it was ' necessary to cross the street. Hero the father turned to his otTspring, with an air { of one speaking a great finality, " Now, I'atsy,"' ho said, sternly, " if v ; don"t be afther goin" stiaightaway ho.ue this blessed ; miiiuto I won"t niver git yez on the police foioe." The little Irish mite atopjied as if a siiell had arrested his footsteps He looked up at his stalwart father, to see if it were jxiasible that he could moan any- thing ao terrible, and then, iwrceiving no relenting in the face above him, he turned 1 on hia tracks like a tlash, and ran home ' with all the swiftness hia littlo legs oould compass. â€" fAc Ariionnnt. I â- *- ' Royal weddings ought to be numerous within the next few months. Recent statistics point out that there are now in Europe 108 princes and sixty-six princesses of marriageable age. Only six of these are betrothed. mi