n, Thurston Willcoxen, upon the sole
condition that it should not be divided.

Dell-Delight, with its natural beauties, was a home that wealth could
convert into a material paradise. Once it had been one of Thurston's
happiest dreams to adorn and beautify the matchless spot, and make it
worthy of Marian, its intended mistress. Now he could not bear to think
of those plans of home-beauty and happiness so interwoven with fond
thoughts of her. So poignant were the wounds of association, that he
could scarcely endure to remain in a neighborhood so filled with
reminiscences of her; and he must have fled the scene, and taken refuge
from memory in foreign travel, had he suffered from bereavement and
sorrow only; but he was tortured by remorse, and remorse demands to
suffer and to atone for sin. And, therefore, though it spiritually
seemed like being bound to a wheel and broken by its every turn, he was
true to his resolution to remain in the county and devote his time,
wealth, and abilities to the completion of Marian's unfinished works of
benevolence.

Dell-Delight remained unaltered. He could not bear to make it beautiful,
since Marian could not enjoy its beauty. Only such changes were made as
were absolutely necessary in organizing his little household. A distant
relative, a middle-aged lady of exemplary piety, but of reduced fortune,
was engaged to come and preside at his table, and take charge of
Miriam's education, for Miriam was established at Dell-Delight. It is
true that Mrs. Waugh would have wished this arrangement otherwise. She
would have preferred to have the orphan girl with herself, but Commodore
Waugh would not even hear of Miriam's coming to Luckenough with any
patience--"For if her mother had married 'Grim,' none of these
misfortunes would have happened," he said.

Even Jacquelina had been forced to fly from Luckenough; no one knew
wither; some said that she had run away; some knew that she had retired
to a convent; some said only to escape the din and turmoil of the world,
and find rest to her soul in a few months or years of quiet and silence,
and some said she had withdrawn for the purpose of taking the vows and
becoming a nun. Mrs. Waugh knew all about it, but she said nothing,
except to discourage inquiry upon the subject. In the midst of the
speculation following Jacquelina's disappearance, Cloudesley Mornington
had come home. He staid a day or two at Luckenough, a week at
Dell-Delight, and then took