t one time.'

'I am glad she was kind to Johnnie,' said Violet.

Miss Altisidora was induced to sit on the other side the curtain,
intending to call Sarah if anything was wanted, and Violet walked across
the park, dreading to enter for the first time the presence of the
shadow of death, fearing in her lowliness to intrude or presume, but
drawn onwards by the warmhearted yearning to perform a daughter's part,
if perchance her husband's mother could derive the least solace from her
attentions.

She crossed the trodden grass, and gazed on the ruin of the abode that
had once almost oppressed her with its grandeur. Past away! and with
it, she whose hopes and schemes were set on the aggrandizement of the
family--she had gone where earthly greatness was weighed in its true
balance! And the lime trees budded, new and young in their spring
greenness, as when the foundation-stone was laid!

Violet thought how she had been taught to look on this as her boy's
inheritance, and therewith came the prayer that he might win his true
inheritance, made without hands, ever spring-like and beyond the power
of the flame! She looked up at the shell, for it was no more, she only
recognized the nursery windows by their bars; the woodwork was charred,
the cement blackened by the fire, where yesterday Helen's and Annie's
faces had been watching her return! A sick horror passed over her as she
thought how much had depended on Theodora's watchful night, and imagined
what might have awaited Arthur!

Then with hopeful, grateful anticipation, she looked to his coming,
and his greeting after such perils endured in his absence. 'O, will not
thankfulness bring him those thoughts! It must! He must join with me,
when he owns the mercy and sees our children safe. Oh! then blessings on
this night's danger! Let me see, he will learn it from the paper!
When can he come? Oh! how his looks and one word from him will reward
Theodora!'

She felt as if her happy anticipation had been selfish when she came
near the cottage with its blinded windows. Lord Martindale was speaking
to some one, but turned at once to her. 'You here, my dear? You have
heard?'

'Yes, I have; but Theodora and I thought as Lady Martindale has no maid
here, that I had better come and see if I could do anything for her. Can
I?' said she, with her humble sweetness.

'I cannot tell, my dear,' he answered. 'She attends to nothing, and has
not been able to shed tears. We cannot rouse her.