essed him
warmly to her bosom, before she relinquished him to the care of Miss
Tabby.

Then she turned to her husband, who still held out his arm to her.

"Poor Lyon!" she said. "You are scarcely able to stand, yet you wish to
escort me in. Joseph!"--she called to their faithful servant--"come
here. Don't you see your master's state?"

Joe came and looked upon his "sovereign lord," and his eyes and mouth
gradually opened in a growing consternation, as he gazed upon the
bandaged head.

"Lor save us, marse Lyon; has you been blowed up agin, or has you got
you'sef inter a--" Joe paused in respect.

"Row, would you say, Joe? Something like it, I must confess; and a very
disreputable appearance I present, no doubt! But there, Joe, I will take
your arm into the house, for I do feel rather light-headed still," said
Lyon, with a smile, as leaning on his servant, he went up the porch
stairs. Sybil followed, attended by Raphael, Miss Tabby and little
Cromartie, Delia, and all the servants.

"Come up into your own room, my darling Miss Sybil, Mrs. Berners I mean,
which it is all well aired, and nice and warm and ready for you," said
Miss Tabby, leading the way up-stairs, followed by Sybil and her maid
Delia.

"Oh, how good it is to be home once more! Oh, how delightful to enter
one's own bed-room again," sighed Sybil, with the sense of a great
relief, as she sank into her own luxurious easy-chair, beside the bright
wood fire.

"Let me take off your bonnet, my pet," said the affectionate old maid,
untying with trembling fingers the hat of Sybil.

"Miss Tabby, how came little Nelly here?" inquired Mrs. Berners, as the
little dog, who had followed her up stairs, jumped into her lap.

"Why, lors, Miss Sybil, the groom from the livery-stable who brought the
news of your coming, fotch the dog too. I b'lieve he said as Capting
Pendleton found him running round loose, and sent him home."

"Oh, Miss Tabby, sometime when you and I are sitting by our winter
evening fire, I can tell you such stories of what I have gone through,
and the best story of all is that of little Nelly," said Sybil caressing
her tiny four-footed favorite.

"Surely!" exclaimed Miss Tabby, who, having relieved Sybil of her bonnet
and shawl, now sat down for a quiet little talk, while waiting for
dinner to be announced. She had little Cro' on her lap.

"Miss Tabby," inquired Sybil, suddenly, "where is that child's nurse? I
notice that you seem to have hi