e assumed a sardonic smile. The curse
of Cain fell upon him as he looked, and weighed him down; his hair
rose, and the cold sweat poured from his forehead. At length he could
bear it no longer, but, turning, fled out of the room and out of the
house, far into the night.

When, haggard with mental and bodily exhaustion, he at length
returned, it was after midnight. He found Dr. Caley waiting for him;
he had just come from the sick-room and wore an anxious look upon his
face.

"Your wife has been delivered of a fine girl," he said; "but I am
bound to tell you that her condition is far from satisfactory. The
case is a most complicated and dangerous one."

"A girl!" groaned Philip, mindful of the will. "Are you sure that it
is a girl?"

"Of course I am sure," answered the doctor, testily.

"And Hilda ill--I don't understand."

"Look here, my good fellow, you are upset; take a glass of brandy and
go to bed. Your wife does not wish to see you now, but, if necessary,
I will send for you. Now, do as I tell you, or you will be down next.
Your nerves are seriously shaken."

Philip did as he was bid, and, as soon as he had seen him off to his
room, the doctor returned upstairs.

In the early morning he sent for two of his brother-practitioners, and
they held a consultation, the upshot of which was that they had come
to the conclusion nothing short of a miracle could save Hilda's life--
a conclusion that she herself had arrived at some hours before.

"Doctor," she said, "I trust to you to let me know when the end is
near. I wish my husband to be present when I die, but not before."

"Hush, my child--never talk of dying yet. Please God, you have many
years of life before you."

She shook her golden head a little sadly.

"No, doctor, my sand has run out, and perhaps it as as well. Give me
the child--why do you keep the child away from me? It is the messenger
sent to call me to a happier world. Yes, she is an angel messenger.
When I am gone, see that you call her 'Angela,' so that I may know by
what name to greet her when the time comes."

During the course of the morning, she expressed a strong desire to see
Maria Lee, who was accordingly sent for.

It will be remembered that old Mr. Caresfoot had on the previous day,
immediately after Hilda had left him, sat down and written to Maria
Lee. In this note he told her the whole shameful truth, ending it with
a few words of bitter humiliation and self-reproach that such