ons to Clara's cottage; and when Pablo took them over in the
cart, Humphrey rode to Lymington and provided a conveyance to London for
the following day. We may as well observe that they set off at the hour
appointed, and arrived safely at London in three days. There, at an
address given in the letter, they found the coach waiting; and having
given his sisters into the charge of an elderly waiting-woman, who had
come up in the coach to take charge of them, they quitted him with many
tears, and Humphrey hastened back to the New Forest.

On his return he found, to his surprise, that Edward had not called at
the cottage as he had promised; and, with a mind foreboding evil, he
mounted a horse and set off across the forest to ascertain the cause.
As he was close to the Intendant's house he was met by Oswald, who
informed him that Edward had been seized with a violent fever, and was
in a very dangerous state, having been delirious for three or four days.

Humphrey hastened to dismount, and knocked at the door of the house; it
was opened by Sampson, and Humphrey requested to be shown up to his
brother's room. He found Edward in the state described by Oswald, and
wholly unconscious of his presence; the maid, Phoebe, was by his
bedside.

"You may leave," said Humphrey, rather abruptly; "I am his brother."

Phoebe retired, and Humphrey was alone with his brother.

"It was, indeed, an unhappy day when you came to this house," exclaimed
Humphrey, as the tears rolled down his cheeks; "my poor, poor Edward."

Edward now began to talk incoherently, and attempted to rise from the
bed, but his efforts were unavailing--he was too weak; but he raved of
Patience Heatherstone, and he called himself Edward Beverley more than
once, and he talked of his father and of Arnwood.

"If he has raved in this manner," thought Humphrey, "he has not many
secrets left to disclose. I will not leave him, and will keep others
away if I can."

Humphrey had been sitting an hour with his brother, when the surgeon
came to see his patient. He felt his pulse, and asked Humphrey if he
was nursing him.

"I am his brother, sir," replied Humphrey.

"Then, my good sir, if you perceive any signs of perspiration--and I
think now that there is a little--keep the clothes on him and let him
perspire freely. If so, his life will be saved."

The surgeon withdrew, saying that he would return again late in the
evening.

Humphrey remained for another two hour