of
heart--wrung by the sufferings he had witnessed, with the bitter words
(too late) echoing in his brain, and with the still more cruel
thought--had it been his father or one of his brothers--any one to
whose kindness she could trust, the shock had not been so great, and
there would have been more sense of soothing and comfort! And then he
tried to collect his impressions of her condition, and judge what would
serve for her relief, but all his senses seemed to be scattered;
dismay, compassion, and sympathy, had driven away all power of forming
a conclusion--he was no longer the doctor--he was only the anxious
listener for the faintest sound from the room above, but none reached
him save the creaking of the floor under Katty's heavy tread.

The gay tinkle of sleigh-bells was the next noise he heard, and
presently the door was opened, and two muffled hooded figures looked
into the room, now only lighted by the red embers of the fire.

'Where's Cora? where's Ave?' said the bright tone of the lesser. 'It
is all dark!' and she was raising her voice to call, when Tom
instinctively uttered a 'Hush,' and moved forward; 'hush, Ella, your
sister has been ill.'

The little muffled figure started at the first sound of his voice, but
as he stepped nearer recoiled for a second, then with a low cry, almost
a sob of recognition, exclaimed, 'Mr. Tom! Oh, Mr. Tom! I knew you
would come! Cousin Deborah, it's Mr. Tom!' and she flew into his arms,
and clung with an ecstasy of joy, unknowing the why or how, but with a
sense that light had shone, and that her troubles were over. She asked
no questions, she only leant against him with, 'Mr. Tom! Mr. Tom!'
under her breath.

'But what is it, stranger? Do tell! Where are the girls? What's this
about Avy's being sick? Do you know the stranger, Ella?'

'It's Mr. Tom,' she cried, holding his arm round her neck, looking up
in a rapturous restfulness.

'I brought Miss Ward-en some good news that I fear has been too much
for her,' said he; 'I am--only waiting to--hear how she is.'

By way of answer, Deborah opened another door which threw more light on
the scene from the cooking stove in the kitchen, and at the same moment
Cora with a candle came down the stairs.

'O, Dr. May,' she said, 'you have been too long left alone in the dark.
I think she is asleep now. You will stay. We will have tea directly.'

Tom faltered something about the hotel, and began to look at Cousin
Debora