humble cottage by Lucy and
her friends. Luke was never forgotten in their conversations; for
there was the lace which was being unweariedly made for his release
to remind them of him. When Modbury made his appearance (and this was
very often) the subject was of course dropped.

A year passed away. Neither Lucy nor Modbury had made much progress
in their several aims; scarcely a tithe of the requisite sum for
Luke's discharge had been saved; neither could Modbury perceive that
his suit advanced. Lucy's conduct sorely perplexed him. She always
seemed delighted when he came in, and received him with every mark of
cordiality; but whenever he dropped the slightest plea in his own
behalf, tears would come into her eyes, and she entreated him to
desist. He began to remark also, that besides the presence of the old
dame, which was surely a sufficient safeguard against any warmth of
manner he might be betrayed into, Lucy always contrived to have Susan
Larkin with her. Should she be absent, Lucy would be telling Modbury
what a good, industrious, excellent girl she was; which, indeed, was
the truth.

No letter came from Luke, and there was no proof that he had received
hers. Lucy began gradually to despond; for work became slack, and at
times she only got enough to employ her half the day. Not to lose
ground, however, she hired herself to the neighbouring farmers' wives
to sew during her spare time, leaving Dame Damerel to the occasional
care of Susan Larkin. While she was sitting at work during one of
these engagements, she compared her own cheerless lot with the
happiness which surrounded her. The farmer was reading the newspaper,
his wife and daughter assisting her in the work she was doing. As she
made this comparison, and thought of Luke, banished as it were from
his home, and enduring perhaps severe hardships, she could scarcely
refrain from weeping. Now and then the farmer read a paragraph from
the paper, and presently exclaimed: 'Ah, our young squire has got
safe to his regiment in India.' At these words Lucy trembled, but
went on rapidly with her work, lest her emotion should be noticed.
She had previously heard that the son of a neighbouring proprietor
had bought a commission in Luke's regiment, and this was almost like
having news of Luke himself. Presently the reader went on with the
paragraph: '"We understand there has been a fatal disease which has
carried off many of the"'------ The farmer made a pause here, and