meditated in the coal-fields, and even in the
ironworks.

Meanwhile, Ross came again and again. Once
he burst into the parlour, and insisted on seeing
the captain.

"What do they keep me out for?" he said,
furiously. "Am I a housebreaker? Do they
think I shall steal all the furniture? Well,
how's our sick man?"

"0, he's doing well," said the captain.
"Sir Duncan says he'll be round again in a
fortnight. But I tell you what, my friend,
you should be packing up now. His excellency
is not a man to stand shilly-shallying. And, if
you're not up to time, I can tell you——"

"Ah, Diamond," said the other, " I know
all that. I've seen his excellency, as you
call him. Would you have me go away
when a dear friend is in this state? Dear
Tillotson, eh? I don't bear him malice, poor
devil! But that poor girl up-stairs, what's to
become of her? I dare say she suffers enough
—-more than I wish him. I declare, this
moment, if it would be any ease or comfort
to him, I'd just walk up to his bedside and put
out my hand to him. I would, though you
don't think so."

"Not to be thought of for a moment," said
the captain, in some alarm. " As for his dying,
that's all over. He's mending every hour, God
be thanked! Sir Duncan says he'll be out
driving about in a week."

"He will, will he?" said Ross, starting up;
"and beginning his old game, I suppose. No
doubt. With all my heart, then. I am not
sorry. Let him live as long as he can; but I'll
be even with him yet. What's this tyranny,"
he said, with sudden anger, " keeping me from
seeing her? Are we all children? Am I not
going away? What's at the bottom of it?
What are you all afraid of?"

"Yes," said the captain, gravely, " you have
given your promise, as a man of honour, to
go. I am bound for you myself."

"And who says I would go back from what
I say? I am longing to have the whipping
and scourging of those savages. What a policeman
I shall make! I shall put by money,
come back in four or five years, and then
we shall see what will become of this sham-sick
Tillotson? I have seen the general. But I
am not obliged to rush off to the train, and
break my neck getting down to Southampton.
There's lots of time yet. As for going without
seeing her, that I will not."

"Well," said the captain, "you'll do splendidly
yet, for you have 'go' in you, and will
come home one of these days a tip-top fellow—-
with lots of money, too."

"Ah, that I will," he said, fiercely, " you
may depend on it. I'll come back one of
these days and pay off all whom I owe
anything to, splendidly. I'll scrape and hoard,
and live decently and orderly, and even reform,
sir, all for that. You may depend on me.
I'm to fix the time for sailing to-day. I
hope he'll live and get strong, and last
out a few vears, all for that." Then, suddenly
changing his voice, he said, softly, "Ah! this
is all ranting and raving, I suppose. I have
only a fortnight or ten days before me to stay
in old England. So now, captain, don't be
harassing a poor outcast devil with watchings
and spyings. I must see her. I shall not see
her for years, I can tell you. There are very
few fellows would be as moderate and well
behaved as I am. So, now, don't be stiff and
pitiless. I'm down enough, God knows!"

The captain was moved. " Keep up, my
man," he said. "It will all do well yet. Though,
as to seeing her, that's entirely for herself. But
she'll do whatever is right, depend on it. Give
me your hand, my dear lad, and keep up."

Meanwhile, Mr. Tillotson had been mending
slowly. The Queen's physician—-always an
amateur of fine women—-took Mrs. Tillotson's
hand in his, and said:

"Don't worry yourself, my dear, any more.
He is over it all."

"There is no danger—-no chance of returning
danger?" asked the golden-haired lady.

"Not in the least. He'll be stronger than
he was. I'll be down with him at the bank,
and get him to allot me some shares before a
very few days are over."

Mrs. Tillotson, cold, unflagging in her duty
night and day, never relaxed in her work. It
had come to one evening, when she was sitting
below in her drawing-room, after Sir Duncan
had gone, who had said that the patient might
be " sitting up" in three or four days. It was
dark, and growing darker, and she had sat on
in her favourite attitude, her round face leant
upon her hand, in a deep reverie. Was she
thinking of the course she would adopt for
her future life, when things fell back to their
old position? Suddenly she heard a heavy step
behind her, and some one entered hastily.
Though it was dark, she knew the voice.

"Ada," he said, sadly, " well, it has come at
last. I have to go now, and have come to say
good-bye. That woman would not let me in.
But I was determined——"

She listened without speaking for a moment.

"And when is this?" she asked. " When
must you go?"

"To-morrow night," he said, flinging himself
into a chair. " Down to Southampton. Well,
they have driven me out at last, you see. I
suppose they'll consider me beaten. Yet, if I
had stayed here longer, I must have rotted
away or starved. And now, what do you mean
to do? I am doing this for you, to let you enjoy
peace and domestic happiness with him."

She sighed.

"Yes, it is for the best," she said. " You
will grow wiser and more subdued, and govern
yourself. In time you will forget all the past.
You have made me happy by this wise resolve. It
would have ended miserably if you had stayed."

"Ah, but," said he, with sudden ferocity,
"don't be too sure that it won't yet. I am
only going for a time—-a few years. I have
forgotten nothing, and shall forget nothing. I
shall return; and if I hear a breath, a whisper,