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doctors and nurses, who could hardly understand how Miss Kenneth managed their patients so much more easily than they did themselves.

As she stood by Will's pillow, Esther did not feel very hopeful about him, however. The distress of mind which poured itself out in his delirious talk was likely to hinder his recovery much more than burns and bruises, she thought. How was this poor brain to be quieted? Miss Dalbiac's story was mysterious, and it seemed to Esther that she had not behaved quite well to Will. A very peculiar girl, thought Esther. She did not believe she was really cold-hearted, and yet she seemed to have no great affection for anything but her painting. However, of course it was no use thinking about her; she was engaged to Lord Fareham, and could. have nothing more to do with Will.

"Poor Will!" said Esther to herself: "is yours to be another of these lonely lives?"

He was much quieter now, and seemed to be sinking into a kind of sleepy state. Esther presently withdrew her hand, and sat down again. Then she heard the parlour door open gently. Mrs. Lucas came forward and peeped into the bedroom, turning round hastily to some one who was following her.

Hush, please sir! I do believe he's asleep."

"Let me go in," said a low, peremptory voice.

Mrs. Lucas could only give an apologetic glance at Esther, who rose suddenly, and was standing in the shadow of the curtains when Mr. Lennard walked into the room. He stopped short when he saw her, and bowed gravely.

"I beg your pardon. No one told me that you were here."

His uncle's voice roused and startled the invalid. "Lisa!" he cried out. "Did you hear that? Where are you? Why are you gone away? You will never come back again. It's done, it's all gone. The battle must be fought, and then it is lost; and then why can't you let me die? You are so cruel, and you smile and smile and I won't turn them out. British Columbia—

see, see, the ship is on fire. Lisa, Lisa!"

This went on for some time, while Mr. Lennard stood with his arms folded at the foot of the bed, and Esther and Mrs. Lucas did all they could to quiet Will. Esther was thankful that she had to exert herself, and to remember that there were more troubles than hers in the world; those few minutes gave her back the power over herself, which had seemed to desert her suddenly at the tones of her old lover's voice, and his unlooked-for appearance in the room. After all, after so many years, she, of course, could be nothing to him; and this was not the John Lennard to whom she had kept her faith all this time. He, with all his strangeness of temper, had been warm-hearted, affectionate, and honourable; this seemed to be a man of no feeling, living only for his own selfish whims, and not even able to understand honour and generosity in other people.

There he stood and looked on, and thought his thoughts about her. Was this really Esther Kenneth, the young, beautiful, distinguished, high-spirited woman who once realised his idea of what a woman ought to be!

The effect upon him had been very startling, as he entered the room and saw her standing there in the shadow, with all her old grace and dignity, with a faint colour in her cheeks, and a slight frown troubling the eyes which had a blue light in them, as they used to have sometimes when she was angry-for Esther had taught herself much patience since those days.

At last she signed to Mrs. Lucas to stay with Will, and went forward into the parlour, where Mr. Lennard followed her mechanically. She stood with her hand on one of the old chairs, and looked at him, that light still shining in her quiet eyes.

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"He does not know you," she said. He knows no one; and he is in great distress of mind, as you hear. I don't know how it will end."

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'And you are with him?" said Mr. Lennard.

"Yes. The doctor does not think so seriously of the hurts and bruises he had last night, as of this fever. He is afraid, too, of some injury to the head. There might be brain fever-but I trust it will not come to that."

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"Foolish fellow, to get himself into such a scrape,' said Mr. Lennard, with an attempt at his careless

manner.

"Is it all his own doing, do you think?" said Esther.

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'He might have been more reasonable. It is a good thing for him that he has some friends left. You won't care for my thanks, but you have them."

"I wonder most at his losing any friends," said Esther. "A generous character like his is more likely

to make and keep them. He does seem, however, to be very much alone."

"Where is that young lady-Miss Dalbiac? Does she know of this affair?"

"I suppose not. But she has no more interest in him, poor fellow-that is his great trouble. She is engaged to her cousin, Lord Fareham."

"Indeed-poor Will-and so he wants to die. Not unnatural, under the circumstances. But are you sure it is true?"

Our only authority was a paragraph in the paper; and I hear from Mrs. Lucas, whose sister is Miss Dalbiac's maid, that he went there two days ago, and came back in this sad state of mind. She had a letter from her sister this morning mentioning his visit."

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Esther went to look among some of Will's things which had been taken out of his pockets, and brought it to him at once. They stood side by side, and read it together. Mr. Lennard laughed, and Esther moved a yard or two away from him.

"What a fool of a world it is!" he said. "Yes, this looks very business-like, but it may be only gossip after all. There is the young lady's portrait, in that tragical picture of Will's. Does she look like giving up an old lover?

They both looked across the room at the Antigone. "No," said Esther. "Yet I am afraid-other things have made me think that this is only too likely to he true."

"Well, it may be best for him in the end, if we can pull him through this illness."

He paused, and they stood silent for a moment or two.

"You are very good," he said in a gentler voice, "to interest yourself in waifs and strays."

"That is hardly a description of Mr. Thorpe," said Esther.

"No; a suffering hero, I suppose.

You take his part entirely, do you not? You never feel any wish to hear the other side of the story?"

"I have nothing to do with his private affairs, and I am not curious about them. I believe in him, and I am sorry for him that is all I know," answered Esther, quietly. "I think I hear him moving, I must go back to him now."

"Don't let me keep you. Is there anything I can do or send ?"

"Nothing, thank you," said Esther.

She gravely returned his bow, and went back into Will's room without saying any more.

As Mr. Lennard left the house, he met a number of people at the door. There were Sir Thomas Kenneth, Julia, Mr. Perrott, Tiny, and Matthew, all coming to inquire for Will. A good many of the congregation, just come out of church, were straggling in the road, to catch something of the last

news.

was

The appearance of the Squire at Lucas's door a great shock to all these people, and to Mr.

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