The Trial, Or, More Links of the Daisy Chain

r, but good deeds ar

deed was quite ravenous. He is asleep now, and looks as comfortable

ss, and dewy eyes, would have told her that there had been more to exhaust him

ings!' s

the drawing-room, he threw himself back in his c

imed. 'You don't

ther! Poor childre

he had only been taken

prostration-and that poor girl, called every way at once, fancied her asleep, and took no alarm till I came in this morning and fo

ard-did he

h had long been lost, and that throat was dreadful su

ds seemed to convey. He felt her movement, and put his arm round her, saying, 'No, Ethel, do not think I envy them. I might have done so

f change and separation, had formed new and congenial habits, saw the future hope before him; and since poor Margaret had been at rest, had been without present anxiety, or the sight of decay and

inutes; she has the nurse, and Spencer is backwards and forwards; I think they will pull

Ethel; 'I do hope he will get well. It

ink he will get through. I hope he will. He is a good friend for Aubrey. So touching it was this mor

lesome one, because it is so visible and unjustifiable, that people stri

sound feeling, poor fellow. You would like to have heard the fervour with which he begged me to tell his father to h

l, thoughtfully, as if she had not the strongest f

e hand, and mind he does not lose his father's practice. Burdon, that young prig that Spencer got down from London, met me at Gavin's, when I looked in there on my way home, and came the length of Minst

rather p

lad; there's not much more for him, as things are now, and it will be only loo

will le

ependence against him after the lesson he has had? I tell you, he has been promising me to look on

oiling with annoyance at having been called in too late to remedy the respectable apothecary's half measures. She believed that the son had been much better educate

his daughter; he had no relations that his son know

still,' said Ethel, 'but n

he turned up, a wealthy man, ten or fifteen years ago, and bought what they call the Vintry Mill, some way on this side of W

expelled for bullying

r. 'If he had stayed on, who knows but he mi

not

ut he is a flashy slang style of youth, and I

m? Is there likely to be

freely than I was ever allowed to do. Costly house, garden, greenhouses-he'd better have stuck to old Axworthy's plac

frantic about her singing last time he was at home-one evening when Mrs. Anderson abus

said the

she was looking forward to Averil's coming home, but that while she profited so much, they felt it due to her to give her every advantage; and did not I think-with my experience-that it was all so much

re sat the girl, dabbling with her water-colours, and her petticoats reaching half across the room, loo

g such an accomplished daughter. When she came out in ti

nd the more you cultivate a woman, the less she has of

she made a wo

is nervous with me, loses her head, and knocks everything down with her petticoats. Then-not a word to any one, Ethel-but imagine her perfect blindness

how is she ge

rs-hardly full comprehension. One can't take her away, and she can't bear

ut as she won't be any long

sh nurse would come.' 'I wish sister would come.' 'I wish mamma would come.' I went up to them the last thing, and told them how it was,

irst thing to-morrow,' said Ethel; 'at any

ose dreams had all night been haunted by the thought of the two little nursery

Street with two china-faced dolls, and, a little farther on, parted with a couple of rolls, interspers

and entered the growing suburb known as Bankside, where wretched cottages belonging to needy, gras

Mrs. Ward had bought and beautified; 'because it was so much better for the children to be out of the town.' The tears sprang into Mary's eyes at the veiled windows, and the unfeeling contrast of the spr

lass porch, Dr. May admitted himself, and led the way up-stairs with silent footfalls, Mary following with breath held back. A voice f

ey tell me; I

dark passage. 'Up there, first door to the right. You can

with a nursery wicket at the top, in undoing which, she was relieved of all doubts and scruples by a melancholy

of the last meal. In each of two cane cribs was sitting up a forlorn child, with loose locks of dishevelled hair, pale thin cheeks glazed with tears, staring eyes, and mouths rounded wit

y,' said the chi

an't be you

can't give us

feeble sobs of exhaustion. Recovering from fever, and still fasting

ither side. 'Mary never came to bed, and nobody has bee

looking fo

did jump out and ring,

cruel neglect, and as she passed Henry Ward's door, and heard several voices, she ventured on a timid summons of 'papa,' but, finding it unheard, she perceived that she must act for herself. Going down-stair

cook, charwoman, and their cavaliers, discussing a pile of hot-buttered toast, to

hed, as she said, 'The chil

ook rose, 'but it is the nurse-maid t

he butter with the other, ran away with them to the nursery, set them down, and rushed off for ano

and the nurse-maid, whose place it is, has been up most of the night with Mr. Leonard, and must have just dropped asl

girls quite starving that I came down. I will take care of them now. Don't wake her, pray. Only I hope,'

being fed by turns with delicately-buttered slices, Mary standing between like a mother-bird feeding her young, and pleased to find the eyes gr

of bed. She undertook to be still their Mary, and made them direct her to the house-maid's stores, went down on her k

, 'I thought you

am, my

t fires,' said Minna,

said he did not think any of the Miss Mays were fi

he, criticized by Mr. Henry Ward. Little ungrateful chit! No, it was not a matter of laughing, but of forgiveness; and the assertion of the dignity of usefulness was speedily forgotten in the toilette of the sm

s nothing since her first prayers after the day of terror and bereavement, and her eyes swam with tears as the younger gir

ed. The children greeted him fondly, and he sat down with one on each knee, and caressed them as he looked them well over, drawing out their narration of the wonderful things 'she' had done, the fingers pointing to designate who she was. His lo

ghters good for something. You had better stay with them til

ith them all day, only t

y get some air. Perhaps I shall want one of you in th

so

y is glad it should be so. He is out on th

Leo

eaven's good mercy we may drag him through; the pulse is r

there was a very poor welcome when their own Mary at length appeared, much shocked at the duration of her own slumbers, and greatly obliged to

ish our dolls' frocks!' and they hung about her

row brought visibly before him, and after the decorous space of commiseration, the smiles were bright again, and Mary heard how her father had popped in to boast of his daughter being 'as good as a house-maid, or as Miss What's-her-name;' and her foray in the kitchen was more diverting to Aubrey than she was as yet prepared

efficient friend and comforter; but Ethel saw that her sister's soul w

the little ones. Now you wou

d not you? and

ood for small childre

you are twenty-three years old, and I won't tell you anythi

hel; of course you always tell

mooth open brow, 'Very well then, go and do whatever comes to hand at Bankside, my dear. I do really want to stay at home, both

er father whispered that it was old Mr. Axworthy, and sent her at once to the nursery, where she was welcomed with a little shriek of delight, each child bounding in

thoughts. It was rather disappointing. The little sisters had evidently been well and religiously taught, but they were too childish to dwell on thoughts of awe or grief, and the small minds were chiefly fixed upon the dolls, as the one bright spot in the dreary day. Mary yielded, and worked and answered the

us while we go to sle

ow, for she asked the difficult question, 'Can mamma see us now?' which Mary could only answer with a tender 'Perhaps,' and

holding out their arms, made a proffer of themselves to be her

mind that they belonged to their brother and sister; but

m Dr. May's child, you know

d! Mamma says there was never any one so fond of littl

lead them upwards, finally betaking herself to the repetition of hymns, which put them to sleep. She had spent some time in sitting between them in the summer darkness, when there was a low ta

ve only just got r

were busy with pap

very well; and is full of

They want to make themselves a present t

another thing; he and Averil will look after them; and he made a most right answer when Mr. Axworthy offered to take Leonard into his office,' proceeded the communicative Doctor, unable to help pouring himself out, in spite of time and pl

ncautiously emphatic, was a glance round all

to get home?' said the

there is anyt

l end in being hysterical if she does not get fed and rested, and then we shall be done for! Now I want you to take charge of her. See, here's her room, and I have ordered up some tea for her. You must get her quieted down, make her have a tolerable meal, and when she has worked off her excitement,

lly magnifying the task, and diminishing her own capabilities, she simply felt

g to send

ive Averil any

hops, if

ile, or anything t

rls drugging themselves. You

ing nothing Ethel more detested than what she rather rudely called nervous q

e luxurious than what she ever saw, except when visiting with Flora, and so new as to tell a tale of the mother's fond preparation for the return of the daughter from school. In a few moments she heard her father saying, in a voice as if spe

trasted with her heated, rumpled, over-watched appearance, as she sank her head on her hand, not noticing either Mary's presence or t

ch darker than her profuse and glossy hair, which was always dressed in the newest and most stylish fashion, which, as well as the whole air of her dress and pe

lids and lips, a dried-up appearance, and a heated oppressed air, as if the faculties were deadened and burnt up, though her hand was cold and trembling. Her hair, still in its elaborate arrangement, hung loose, untidy, untouched; her collar and sleeves were soiled and tumbled; her

e warm water, and bringing it with a spon

her burning brow, that she could not resist; she put her head back, a

ight heavy dress, and make her c

Then I could

ress; besides, one can move so muc

aps Dr. May would let me go back now!' as a mountain of mohair and scarlet

and by; but he said

There's no one but m

e. You don't know what good it used to do my sist

st thought she was brushing her victim to sleep in her chair, b

d Averil, with almost d

t the way you use me, Miss Ward, w

ardon,' was the m

come, and entertain her hostess; and strenuously she worked, letting the dry lips imbibe a cup of tea, before she attempted the solids; then coaxing and commanding, she gained her point, and succeeded in causing a f

ldered smile, as Mary filled up her cup for her.

a sister. You know I have known something of like

t,' said Averil, passing her hands over

and that is bett

he difference it might have mad

een a wonderful nurse, considering-' the

. Even when I scalded his fingers with bringing him that boiling water-but I

d can't hold out for ever. People must s

is only one:'

t is because you are tired out that you get nervous an

l, with her eyes rounded, 'are

ou mean?'

'They sent me away from mamma-they told me papa wanted me: then they sent me from him; they sa

hat sent you without telling

said A

gue about what they called pious frauds, and he always said they were want of faith. You may trust him. He told me Leonard was in the state wh

dding, and after one or two vibrations in her chair, she looked up with lustreless glassy eyes. Mary took one of these semi-wakened moments, and in the tone of caressing authori

s. He durst not move, but he smiled and nodded satisfaction; and Mary, after tidying the room, and considering with herself, took off her more cumbrous garments, wrapped herself in a cloak, and lay down beside Averil, not expecting to sleep, but passing to thoughts of Harry, and of that 23rd Psalm, which they had agreed to say at the same hour every night. By how many hours was Harry beforehand with her? That was a calculation that

nd regularly, so that it was; a pleasure to listen to her; and Mary did not fear wak

ead came to her. 'Asleep still? So is he. Al

nstantaneously sound asleep, before his startled daughter had quite taken everything in; but she had only to glance at his

st move, it was only to secure a fuller view of the patient, from whom she was half cut off by a curtain at the foot of the bed. A sort of dread, however, made Mary gaze at everything around her before she brought her eyes upon him-her father's watch on the table, indicating ten minute

ut what did fill her with a certain apprehension, was the new and lofty beauty of expression that sat on that sleeping countenance. 'A nice boy,' 'rather a handsome lad,' 'a boy of ingenuous face,' they had always called Leonard Ward, when animated with health and spirits; and the friendship between him and Aubrey had been encouraged, but without thinking of him as more than an ordinary lad of good style. Now, however, to Mary's mind, the broad brow and wasted features in their rest had assumed a calm

of birds, the humming of bees, the calls of boys in distant fields, the far-away sound of waggon-wheels-when there was a slight move, and Mary, in the tension of all her fa

Leonard's had had time to unclose; and as Mary was sil

curtain. 'You are b

nk you-mu

silently brought it, and as quietly obeyed the finger that directed her to cordial and spoon-well kno

n here all ni

lad to see you s

s in the tone of that 'Thank you.' The Doctor held out his hand for the spo

. She is quite well; but

boy; then with a moment's pa

ings; but a constraining gesture of her father obliged her to r

Dr. May, bending over him-and Mary w

e faint to

Dr. May in his lowest, tenderest tones, putting his ha

eness of those words made Mary eager to put

their being together;' and Mary h

dial was swallowed; then a pause, and

is the best

or knelt down, and said the Lord's Prayer-the orphan's p

reaming over his face, and holding back the curtain, showed Mary the boy, again sunk into that sweet refreshing sleep. 'That is well over,' he said, w

ary, repressing her agi

ver; and you may tell his