in herself, and bade Will get on the box and
take the reins; then whispering to Harry, she told him where to find me,
and begged he would prepare me for her coming. 'I shall soon master this
knave's scruples,' she said; 'he is but bringing them to market, and I
am ready to buy them;' and as I suppose, she paid a heavy price for the
use of that coach for an hour, saying her man should drive it to her
house and then return it empty to the coachman.

For while Harry and I stood talking at the door, his tale was broken by
the rumbling of wheels; and the coach coming lumbering up, we perceived
Will to be the driver.

'That is well,' said Harry; 'it will not be known where you dwell.' As
he spoke the coach stopped, and Althea put aside the close-drawn
curtains. She called Harry to her, and said softly,--

'Now help me to lift him, good friend--but be very gentle; he lives, he
speaks, but he is deadly weak;' and with infinite care she and Harry
lifted out a poor shrunken figure that seemed light as an infant in
their arms; and I leading the way they brought it in and laid it on the
couch I had got ready; there Althea, sitting down, drew Andrew's head on
to her bosom, supporting him with her arms, and murmuring tender words
in his ear. Harry stayed to speak a word to Will before he drove off,
and then returning he stood by me a moment and gazed with me at those
two; 'twas a sight to chain one's eyes fast, to see Althea's face, still
heavenly fair in spite of her anguish, bending over Andrew's, which was
livid in colour, all but fleshless, and the eyes deep sunk in their
sockets; yet he smiled, a smile full of a strange radiance; and he moved
his colourless lips, saying something which Althea bent her head very
low to hear; then looking up wildly and seeing Harry,--

'Have you brought a physician?' she cried; 'there is no time to
lose--he is dying for lack of help.'

'That he shall not,' said Harry, who was now knelt beside Andrew, and
offering a cordial to his lips; 'here is no disease but hunger, dear
lady--I have learnt by sharp experience how to minister to that;' and in
two hasty words he bade me go and warm some broth, of which luckily I
had told him; so I went quickly.

Now when I came back I saw there was more company in the room; for Will
had come in, and with him a man and woman; but I did not note them much,
for it seemed to me that Andrew was swooning, his eyes being closed. But
Harry took the broth from me an