middle of the afternoon when they found
themselves temporarily settled at the little hotel at Benedict in the
very apartments formerly occupied by Edith and Marian.

Here Jacquelina suffered a long and severe spell of illness, during
which her bright hair was cut off.

And here beautiful Marian came, with her gift of tender nursing, and
devoted herself day and night to the service of the young invalid. And
all the leisure time she found while sitting by the sick bed she busily
employed in making up clothing for the almost denuded family. And never
had the dear girl's nimble fingers flown so fast or so willingly.

Every day the commodore, accompanied by Dr. Grimshaw, rode over to
Luckenough to superintend the labors of the workmen in pulling down and
clearing away the ruins of the old mansion and preparing the site for a
new building.

Six weeks passed and brought the first of August, before Jacquelina was
able to sit up, and then the physicians recommended change of air and
the waters of Bentley Springs for the re-establishment of her health.

During her illness, Jacquelina had become passionately attached to
Marian, as all persons did who came under the daily influence of the
beautiful girl. Dr. Grimshaw was to accompany the family to Bentley.
Jacquelina insisted that Marian should be asked to make one of the
party. Accordingly, the commodore and Mrs. Waugh, nothing loth, invited
and pressed the kind maiden to go with them. But Marian declined the
journey, and Commodore Waugh, with his wife, his niece and his Grim set
out in the family carriage for Bentley Springs. Jacquelina rapidly
regained health and rushed again to her mad breaks. After a stormy scene
with the commodore, the latter vowed she should either marry Dr.
Grimshaw or be sent to a nunnery. To the convent of St. Serena she went,
but within a week she was home in disgrace.

CHAPTER IX.

CLIPPING A BIRD'S WINGS.

The clouds were fast gathering over poor San Souci's heavens.

The commodore had quite recovered for the time being, and he began to
urge the marriage of his niece with his favorite. Dr. Grimshaw's
importunities were also becoming very tiresome. They were no longer a
jest. She could no longer divert herself with them. She felt them as a
real persecution, and expressed herself accordingly. To Grim she said:

"Once I used to laugh at you. But now I do hate you more than anything
in the universe! And I wish--I do wish that you were in