his spectacles,' answered Dr.
May. 'So! That's the key to his restless fit. Poor fellow! How did
it go with him? They have not been carrying it on all this time,
surely!'

'Oh, no, no, papa! She cut him to the heart, poor boy! thought he was
laughing at her--told him it had all been irony. He has no notion
whether she will ever forgive him.'

'A very good lesson, Master Doctor Thomas,' said Dr. May, with a
twinkle in his eye; 'and turn out as it will, it has done him
good--tided him over a dangerous time of life. Well, you must tell me
all about it to-morrow; I'm too sleepy to know what I'm talking of.'

The sleepiness that always finished off the Doctor's senses at the
right moment, was a great preservative of his freshness and vigour; but
Ethel was far from sharing it, and was very glad when the clock sounded
a legitimate hour for getting up, and dressing by candle-light, briefly
answering Gertrude's eager questions on the arrival. It was a pouring
wet morning, and she forbade Daisy to go to church--indeed, it would
have been too bad for herself on any morning but this--any but this, as
she repeated, smiling at her own spring of thankfulness, as she
fortified herself with a weight of waterproof, and came forth in the
darkness of 7.45, on a grim November day.

A few steps before her, pacing on, umbrellaless, was a figure which
made her hurry to overtake him.

'O, Leonard! after your journey, and in this rain!'

He made a gesture of courtesy, but moved as if to follow, not join her.
Did he not know whether he were within the pale of humanity?

'Here is half an umbrella. Won't you hold it for me?' she said; and as
he followed his instinct of obedience, she put it into his hand, and
took his arm, thinking that this familiarity would best restore him to
a sense of his regained position; and, moreover, feeling glad and
triumphant to be thus leaning, and to have that strong arm to contend
with the driving blast that came howling round the corner of Minster
Street, and fighting for their shelter. They were both out of breath
when they paused to recover in the deep porch of the Minster.

'Is Dr. May come home?'

'Yes--and--'

Ethel signed, and Mr. Wilmot held out an earnest hand, with, 'This is
well. I am glad to see you.'

'Thank you, sir,' said Leonard, heartily; 'and for all--'

'This is your new beginning of life, Leonard. God bless you in it.'

As Mr. Wilmot passed on, Ethel for the first time