ake, or perhaps
for my sake; but Mr Copperhead likes it for his own sake, and therefore
he is the one who insists upon it. But this is not the reason why I have
come home so soon. Mr. May has been taken suddenly ill."

"Lord bless us!" cried Mrs. Tozer, "deary, deary me! I'm very sorry,
poor gentleman, I hope it ain't anything serious. Though he's a church
parson, he's a very civil-spoken man, and I see his children drag him
into his own house one day as me and Tozer was passing. I said to Tozer
at the time, you take my word, whatever folks say, a man as lets his
children pull him about like that ain't a bad one. And so he's ill, poor
man! Is there anything as we can do to help, my dear? They ain't rich,
and they've been as kind to you as if you'd been one of their own."

"I thought that would be the first thing you would ask me," said Phoebe
gratefully, giving her a kiss--"dear grandmamma, it is like your kind
heart--and I ran off to see that you were quite well and comfortable,
thinking perhaps if you did not want me I might go back to poor Ursula
for the night."

To hear her granddaughter call Miss May by her Christian name was in
itself a pleasure to Mrs. Tozer. She gave Phoebe a hug. "So you shall, my
darling, and as for a bottle of good wine or that, anything as is in the
house, you know you're welcome to it. You go and talk to your
grandfather; I'm as comfortable as I can be, and if you'd like to run
back to that poor child--"

"Not before you are in bed," said Phoebe, "but if you please I'll go and
talk to grandpapa as you said. There are things in which a man may be of
use."

"To be sure," said Mrs. Tozer, doubtfully; "your grandfather ain't a man
as is much good in sickness; but I won't say as there ain't some
things--"

"Yes, grandmamma, I'll take your advice and run and talk to him; and by
the time I come back you will be ready for bed."

"Do, my dear," said Mrs. Tozer. She was very comfortable, and did not
care to move just then, and, as Phoebe went away, looked after her with
dreamy satisfaction. "Bless her! there ain't her match in Carlingford,
and the gentlefolks sees it," said Mrs. Tozer to herself. But she had no
idea how Phoebe's heart was beating as she went along the dimly-lighted
passage, which led to a small room fitted up by Tozer for himself. She
heard voices in earnest talk as she approached, but this made her only
the more eager to go in, and see for herself what was going on. There
c