to get back to his dear ones in
America; but Sir Herbert Randall was opposed to his going.

"It would be fatal, my dear sir," he asserted; "the excitement of your
departure and the separation would undoubtedly bring on another shock from
which her ladyship could not possibly rally, even if it did not kill her
outright. Haven't you done roving enough yet?" the physician concluded,
regarding the young man with some surprise.

"But I've left----" Sir William began, when he was interrupted by a
startled cry from Lady Linton, who was in the room, as she carelessly
upset a vase of flowers on the table beside her.

"How awkward of me!" she exclaimed, flushing a deep crimson; "won't you
please ring the bell, William for some one to come and clean up this
mess?"

He went to the opposite side of the room to do her bidding, and she took
the occasion to inform Sir Herbert in a low tone, that her brother had
left some unfinished business in America, which he was anxious to have
settled.

"I'm sorry," replied the physician, "but it will have to remain unsettled
for a while longer, if he has a proper regard for his mother's health."

Of course the great doctor's verdict was decisive, and Sir William was
forced to curb his impatience as best he could. He would not allow himself
to do anything that would endanger his mother's life, and yet his heart
was yearning for his wife and for the little one whom he had never seen.

"Have patience a little longer, my darling," he wrote Virgie that evening;
I will come just as soon as it will do for me to leave home. My heart
longs for you every hour in the day; life seems almost a blank without
you, and I find it difficult to employ myself about anything. If you were
stronger, and our little one was older, I would send some trusty messenger
for you, and another eight days would find you in our beautiful home. But
I fear such a proceeding would be hardly wise at present.

"Write to me often, my Virgie, and be very careful in directing your
letters; I am afraid that I have missed one or two of your last. Oh, happy
day when there will be no longer any need to communicate with each other
in this slow way."

Sir William had indeed missed his wife's last letters and this was the
only one that she ever received from him after that date.

How was it?

Ask Lady Linton, or go seek in the little brazier, which stood at night in
the dressing-room of her mother for the purpose of heating the nouri