ll the completest accidental air, and scarcely made it
evident that it was he who had recognized the writing, and all that
turned on it. Averil listened to the narration, was silent for some
space, then having gone over it in her own mind, looked up and said--

'Then all this came of your being at that hospital;' and a burning
blush spread over the pale cheek, and made Tom shrink, start, and feel
guilty of having touched the chord of obligation, connected with that
obtrusive pledge of his. Above all, however, to repress emotion was
his prime object; and he calmly answered, 'It was a good Providence
that brought any one there who knew the circumstances.'

She was silent; and he was about to rise and relieve her from the sense
of his presuming on her gratitude, when a cough, accompanied with a
pressure of her hand on her side, betrayed an access of suffering, that
drew him on to his other purpose of endeavouring to learn her
condition, and to do what he could for her relief. His manner,
curiously like his father's, and all the home associations connected
with it, easily drew from her what he wanted to ascertain, and she
perfectly understood its purport, and was calm and even bright.

'I was glad to be better when Henry went away,' she said; 'he had so
much to do, and we thought I was getting well then. You must not
frighten him and hurry him here, if you please,' she said, earnestly,
'for he must not be wasting his time here, and you think it will last a
month or two, don't you?'

'I want to persuade Henry to bring you all home, and enter into
partnership with Mr. Wright,' said Tom. 'The voyage would--might--it
would be the best thing for you.'

'Could I ever be well enough again? Oh, don't tell me to think about
it! The one thing I asked for before I die has been given me, and now
I know he is free, I will--will not set my mind on anything else.'

There was a look so near heaven on her face, as she spoke, that Tom
durst not say any more of home, or earthly schemes; but, quiet, grave,
and awe-stricken, left her to the repose she needed, and betook himself
to the other room, where Ella, of course, flew on him, having been
hardly detained by Cora from breaking in before. His object was to go
to see the medical man who had been attending Averil; and Cora assuring
him the horse had nothing to do in the frost, and telling him the times
of the day when he would be most likely to find Dr. Laidlaw, he set
forth.