affairs, would
certainly be that she should leave a world for whose uses she was ill
fitted, and go where she would be happier. The things she would then
have no farther need of, would be welcome to those to whom by right
they belonged more really than to her! She was a pleasant thing to look
upon, and if she had loved him he would rather have had the property
with than without her; but there was this advantage, he would be left
free to choose!

Lady Arctura lay suffering, feverish, and restless. Mrs. Brookes would
let no one sit up with her but herself. The earl would have sent for "a
suitable nurse!" a friend of his in London would find one! but she
would not hear of it. And before the night was over she had greater
reason still for refusing to yield her post: it was evident her young
mistress was more occupied with Donal Grant than with the pain she was
suffering! In her delirium she was constantly desiring his presence. "I
know he can help me," she would say; "he is a shepherd, like the Lord
himself!" And mistress Brookes, though by no means devoid of the
prejudices of the rank with which her life had been so much associated,
could not but allow that a nobler life must be possible with one like
Donal Grant than with one like lord Forgue.

In the middle of the night Arctura became so unquiet, that her nurse,
calling the maid she had in a room near, flew like a bird to Donal, and
asked him to come down. He had but partially undressed, thinking his
help might be wanted, and was down almost as soon as she. Ere he came,
however, she had dismissed the maid.

Donal went to the bedside. Arctura was moaning and starting, sometimes
opening her eyes, but distinguishing nothing. Her hand lay on the
counterpane: he laid his upon it. She gave a sigh as of one relieved; a
smile came flickering over her face, and she lay still for some time.
Donal sat down beside her, and watched. The moment he saw her begin to
be restless or look distressed, he laid his hand upon hers; she was
immediately quiet, and lay for a time as if she knew herself safe. When
she seemed about to wake, he withdrew.

So things went on for many nights. Donal slept instead of working when
his duties with Davie were over, and lay at night in the corridor,
wrapt in his plaid. For even after Arctura began to recover, her nights
were sorely troubled, and her restoration would have been much
retarded, had not Donal been near to make her feel she was not
abandoned