elf
driven over, reaching the house between eleven and twelve o'clock in
the day.

Clara met him in the hall, and at once led him into the room which
she had prepared for him. He had given her his hand in the hall, but
did not speak to her till she had spoken to him after the closing of
the room door behind them. "I thought that you would come," she said,
still holding him by the hand.

"I did not know what to do," he answered. "I couldn't say which was
best. Now I am here I shall only be in your way." He did not dare to
press her hand, nor could he bring himself to take his away from her.

"In my way;--yes; as an angel, to tell me what to do in my trouble.
I knew you would come, because you are so good. But you will have
breakfast;--see, I have got it ready for you."

"Oh no; I breakfasted at Redicote. I would not trouble you."

"Trouble me, Will! Oh, Will, if you knew!" Then there came tears in
her eyes, and at the sight of them both his own were filled. How
was he to stand it? To take her to his bosom and hold her there for
always; to wipe away her tears so that she should weep no more; to
devote himself and all his energy and all that was his to comfort
her,--this he could have done; but he knew not how to do anything
short of this. Every word that she spoke to him was an encouragement
to this, and yet he knew that it could not be so. To say a word of
his love, or even to look it, would now be an unmanly insult. And
yet, how was he not to look it,--not to speak of it? "It is such a
comfort that you should be here with me," she said.

"Then I am glad I am here, though I do not know what I can do. Did he
suffer much, Clara?"

"No, I think not; very little. He sank at last quicker than I
expected, but just as I thought he would go. He used to speak of you
so often, and always with regard and esteem!"

"Dear old man!"

"Yes, Will; he was, in spite of his little faults. No father ever
loved his daughter better than he loved me."

After a while the servant brought in the tea, explaining to Belton
that Miss Clara had neither eaten nor drank that morning. "She
wouldn't take anything till you came, sir." Then Will added his
entreaties, and Clara was persuaded, and by degrees there grew
between them more ease of manner and capability for talking than had
been within their reach when they first met. And during the morning
many things were explained, as to which Clara would a few hours
previously have thought it t