Sir Charles; "God bless you for
them!"

After a while he said, "Then what you advise is simply--patience?"

"No, I don't say that. With such a large house as this, and your
resources, you might easily separate them before the delusion grows any
farther. Why risk a calamity?"

"A calamity?" and Sir Charles began to tremble.

"She is only cold to the child as yet. She might go farther, and fancy
she hated it. _Obsta principiis:_ that is my motto. Not that I really
think, for a moment, the child is in danger. Lady Bassett has mind to
control her nerves with; but why run the shadow of a chance?"

"I will not run the shadow of a chance," said Sir Charles, resolutely;
"let us come upstairs: my decision is taken."

The very next day Sir Charles called on Mrs. Meyrick, and asked if he
could come to any arrangement with her to lodge Mr. Bassett and his
nurse under her roof. "The boy wants change of air," said he.

Mrs. Meyrick jumped at the proposal, but declined all terms. "No," said
she, "the child I have suckled shall never pay me for his lodging. Why
should he, sir, when I'd pay _you_ to let him come, if I wasn't afeard
of offending you?"

Sir Charles was touched at this, and, being a gentleman of tact, said,
"You are very good: well, then, I must remain your debtor for the
present."

He then took his leave, but she walked with him a few yards, just as
far as the wicket, gate that separated her little front garden from the
high-road.

"I hope," said she, "my lady will come and see me when my lamb is with
me; a sight of her would be good for sore eyes. She have never been
here but once, and then she did not get out of her carriage."

"Humph!" said Sir Charles, apologetically; "she seldom goes out now;
you understand."

"Oh, I've heard, sir; and I do put up my prayers for her; for my lady
has been a good friend to me, sir, and if you will believe me, I often
sets here and longs for a sight of her, and her sweet eyes, and her
hair like sunshine, that I've had in my hand so often. Well, sir, I
hope it will be a girl this time, a little girl with golden hair;
that's what I wants this time. They'll be the prettiest pair in
England."

"With all my heart," said Sir Charles; "girl or boy, I don't care
which; but I'd give a few thousands if it was here, and the mother
safe."

He hurried away, ashamed of having uttered the feelings of his heart to
a farmer's wife. To avoid discussion, he sent Mrs. Millar and the boy