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〃Since　that　is　settled；　perhaps　I　had　better　go　up　to　the　doctor；〃
said　Alan；　〃I　don't　like　leaving　Flora　alone　with　him；〃　and　he　was
gone。

〃How　fortunate　that　that　youth　is　here；〃　said　Mr。　Wilmot〃he　seems
to　be　quite　taking　Richard's　place。〃

〃And　to　feel　it　as　much；〃　said　Mr。　Ward。　　〃He　has　been　invaluable
with　his　sailor's　resources　and　handiness。〃

〃Well；　what　shall　I　tell　poor　Richard？〃　asked　Mr。　Wilmot。

〃Tell　him　there　is　no　reason　his　father　should　not　do　very　well；　if
we　can　keep　him　from　agitationbut　there's　the　point。　　He　is　of　so
excitable　a　constitution；　that　his　faculties　being　so　far　confused　is
the　best　thing；　perhaps；　that　could　be。　　Mr。　Ernescliffe　manages　him
very　wellused　to　illness　on　that　African　coast；　and　the　doctor　is
very　fond　of　him。　　As　to　Miss　May；　one　can't　tell　what　to　say　about
her　yetthere's　no　fracture；　at　leastit　must　be　a　work　of　time　to
judge。〃

Flora　at　that　moment　half…opened　the　door；　and　called　Mr。　Ward；
stopping　for　a　moment　to　say　it　was　for　nothing　of　any　consequence。
Mr。　Wilmot　and　Norman　were　left　together。　　Norman　put　his　hands　over
his　face　and　groanedhis　master　looked　at　him　with　kind　anxiety；　but
did　not　feel　as　if　it　were　yet　time　to　speak　of　consolation。

〃God　bless　and　support　you；　and　turn　this　to　your　good；　my　dear　boy；〃
said　he　affectionately；　as　he　pressed　his　hand；　〃I　hope　to　bring　your
brother　to…morrow。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　was　all　Norman　could　say；　and　as　Mr。　Wilmot　went
out　by　the　front　door；　he　slowly　went　up　again；　and；　lingering　on　the
landing…place；　was　met　by　Mr。　Ward；　who　told　him　to　his　relieffor
the　mere　thinking　of　it　renewed　the　faint　sensationthat　he　had
better　not　go　to　his　father's　room。

There　was　nothing　to　be　done　but　to　return　to　Ethel　and　Harry；　and
tell　them　all；　with　some　humiliation　at　being　helpless；　where　Flora
was　doing　so　much；　and　to　leave　their　father　to　be　watched　by　a
stranger。　　If　he　had　been　wanted；　Norman　might　have　made　the　effort；
but　being　told　that　he　would　be　worse　than　useless；　there　was　nothing
for　him　but　to　give　way。

They　sat　together　in　Ethel's　room　till　somewhere　between　eight　and
nine　o'clock；　when　good　old　nurse；　having　put　her　younger　ones　to
bed；　came　in　search　of　them。　　〃Dear；　dear！　poor　darlings；〃　said　she；
as　she　found　them　sitting　in　the　dark；　she　felt　their　cold　hands；　and
made　them　all　come　into　the　nursery；　where　Mary　was　already；　and；
fondling　them；　one　by　one；　as　they　passively　obeyed　her；　she　set　them
down　on　their　little　old　stools　round　the　fire；　took　away　the　high
fender；　and　gave　them　each　a　cup　of　tea。　　Harry　and　Mary　ate　enough
to　satisfy　her；　from　a　weary　craving　feeling；　and　for　want　of
employment；　Norman　sat　with　his　elbow　on　his　knee；　and　a　very　aching
head　resting　on　his　hand；　glad　of　drink；　but　unable　to　eat；　Ethel
could　be　persuaded　to　do　neither；　till　she　found　old　nurse　would　let
her　have　no　peace。

The　nurse　sent　them　all　to　bed；　taking　the　two　girls　to　their　own
room；　undressing　them；　and　never　leaving　them　until　Mary　was　in　a
fair　way　of　crying　herself　to　sleepfor　saying　her　prayers　had
brought　the　tears；　while　Ethel　lay　so　wide　awake　that　it　was　of　no
use　to　wait　for　her；　and　then　she　went　to　the　boys；　tucked　them　each
in；　as　when　they　were　little　children；　and　saying；　〃Bless　your　dear
hearts！〃　bestowed　on　each　of　them　a　kiss　which　came　gratefully　to
Norman's　burning　brow；　and　which　even　Harry's　boyish　manliness　could
not　resist。

Flora　was　in　Margaret's　room；　too　useful　to　be　spared。

So　ended　that　dreadful　Saturday。




CHAPTER　IV。



They　may　not　mar　the　deep　repose
　　Of　that　immortal　flower：
Though　only　broken　hearts　are　found
　　To　watch　her　cradle　by；
No　blight　is　on　her　slumbers　found；
　　No　touch　of　harmful　eye。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LYRA　INNOCENTIUM。


Such　a　strange　sad　Sunday！　　No　going　to　church；　but　all　the　poor
children　moving　in　awe　and　oppression　about　the　house；　speaking　under
their　breath；　as　they　gathered　in　the　drawing…room。　　Into　the　study
they　might　not　go；　and　when　Blanche　would　have　asked　why；　Tom　pressed
her　hand　and　shuddered。

Etheldred　was　allowed　to　come　and　look　at　Margaret；　and　even　to　sit
in　the　room　for　a　little　while；　to　take　the　place　of　Miss　Winter；　but
she　was　not　sensible　of　sufficient　usefulness　to　relieve　the　burden
of　fear　and　bewilderment　in　the　presence　of　that　still；　pale　form；
and；　what　was　almost　worse；　the　sight　of　the　familiar　objects；　the
chair　by　the　fire；　the　sofa；　the　books；　the　work…basket；　the　letter…
case；　the　dressing　things；　all　these　were　too　oppressive。　　She　sat
crouched　up；　with　her　face　hidden　in　her　hands；　and　the　instant　she
was　released；　hastened　back　to　Norman。　　She　was　to　tell　him　that　he
might　go　into　the　room；　but　he　did　not　move；　and　Mary　alone　went　in
and　out　with　messages。

Dr。　May　was　not　to　be　visited；　for　he　was　in　the　same　half…conscious
state；　apparently　sensible　only　of　bodily　suffering；　though　he
answered　when　addressed；　and　no　one　was　trusted　to　speak　to　him　but
Flora　and　Ernescliffe。

The　rest　wore　through　the　day　as　best　they　might。　　Harry　slept　a　good
deal；　Ethel　read　to　herself；　and　tried　to　get　Norman　to　look　at
passages　which　she　liked；　Mary　kept　the　little　ones　from　being
troublesome；　and　at　last　took　them　to　peep　behind　the　school…room
blinds　for　Richard's　coming。

There　was　a　simultaneous　shout　when；　at　four　o'clock；　they　caught
sight　of　him；　and　though；　at　Ethel's　exclamation　of　wonder；　Mary　and
Tom　hung　their　heads　at　having　forgotten　themselves；　the　association
of　gladness　in　seeing　Richard　was　refreshing；　the　sense　of　being
desolate　and　forsaken　was　relieved；　and　they　knew　that　now　they　had
one　to　rely　on　and　to　comfort　them。

Harry　hastened　to　open　the　front　door；　and　Richard；　with　his　small
trim　figure；　and　fresh；　fair　young　face；　flushed；　though　not
otherwise　agitated；　was　among　them；　almost　devoured　by　the　younger
ones；　and　dealing　out　quiet　caresses　to　them；　as　he　caught　from　the
words　and　looks　of　the　others　that　at　least　his　father　and　sister
were　no　worse。　　Mr。　Wilmot　had　come　with　him；　but　only　stayed　to　hear
the　tidings。

〃Can　I　see　papa？〃　were　Richard's　first　audible　wordsall　the　rest
had　been　almost　dumb　show。

Ethel　thought　not；　but　took　him　to　Margaret's　room；　where　he　stood
for　many　minutes　without　speaking；　then　whispered　to　Flora　that　he
must　go　to　the　others；　she　should　call　him　ifand　went　down；
followed　by　Ethel。

Tom　and　Blanche　had　fallen　into　teasing　tricks；　a　sort　of　melancholy
play　to　relieve　the　tedium。　　They　grew　cross。　　Norman　was　roused　to
reprove　sharply；　and　Blanche　was　beginning　to　cry。　　But　Richard's
entrance　set　all　at　peacehe　sat　down　among　them；　and；　with　soft
voice　and　arm　round　Blanche；　as　she　leaned　against　him；　made　her　good
in　a　moment；　and　she　listened　while　he　talked　over　with　Norman　and
Ethel　all　they　could　bear　to　speak　of。

Late　in　the　day　Flora　came　into　her　father's　room；　and　stood　gazing
at　him；　as　he　lay　with　eyes　closed；　breathing　heavily；　and　his　brows
contracted　by　pain。　　She　watched　him　with　piteous　looks；　as　if
imploring　him　to　return　to　his　children。　　Poor　girl；　to…day's　quiet；
after　the　last　evening's　bustle；　was　hard　to　bear。　　She　had　then　been
distracted　from　thought　by　the　necessity　of　exertion；　but　it　now
repaid　itself；　and　she　knew　not　how　to　submit　to　do　nothing　but　wait
and　watch。

〃No　change？〃　enquired　Alan　Ernescliffe；　looking　kindly　in　her　face。

〃No；〃　replied　she　in　a　low；　mournful　tone。　　〃She　only　once　said；
thank　you。〃

A　voice　which　she　did　not　expect；　asked　inquiringly；　〃Margaret？〃　and
her　heart　beat　as　if　it　would　take　away　her　breath；　as　she　saw　her
father's　eyes　intently　fixed　on　her。　　〃Did　you　speak　of　her？〃　he
repeated。

〃Yes；　dear　papa；〃　said　Flora；　not　losing　presence　of　mind；　though　in
extreme　fear　of　what　the　next　question　might　be。　　〃She　is　quiet　and
comfortable；　so　don't　be　uneasy；　pray。〃

〃Let　me　hear；〃　he　said；　and　his　whole　voice　and　air　showed　him　to　be
entirely　roused。　　〃There　is　injury？　　What　is　it〃

He　continued　his　inquiries　till　Flora　was　obliged　fully　to　explain
her　sister's　condition；　and　then　he　dismayed　her　by　saying　he　would
get　up　and　go　to　see　her。　　Much　distressed；　she　begged　him　not　to
think　of　it；　and　appealed　to　Alan；　who　added　his　entreaties　that　he
would　at　least　wait　for　Mr。　Ward；　but　the　doctor　would　not　relinquish
his　purpose；　and　sent　her　to　give　notice　that　he　was　coming。

Mr。　Ernescliffe　followed　her　out　of　the　room；　and　tried　to　console
her；　as　she　looked　at　him　in　despair。

〃You　see　he　is　quite　himself；　quite　collected；〃　he　said；　〃you　heard
now　clear　and　coherent　his　questions　were。〃

〃Can't　it　be　helped？　　Do　try　to　stop　him　till　I　can　send　to　Mr。
Ward。〃

〃I　will　try；　but　I　think　he　is　in　a　state　to　judge　for　himself。
I　do；　upon　my　word；　and　I　believe　trying　to　prevent　him　would　be　more
likely　to　do　him　harm　than　letting　him　satisfy　himself。　　I　really
think　you　need　not　be　alarmed。〃

〃But　you　know；〃　said　Flora；　coming　nearer；　and　almost　gasping　as　she
whispered　and　signed　towards　the　door；　〃she　is　thereit　is　mamma's
room；　that　will　tell　all。〃

〃I　believe　he　knows；〃　said　Alan。　　〃It　was　that　which　ma