e were aware of,
and imagined far more than ever in reality existed. He watched us
carefully, and, contrary to his usual course of proceeding, forbore for
a time any interference. I have since been led to think that he designed
to wean us from each other in a less unnatural manner than that which he
had at first attempted, by taking the earliest opportunity to transfer
his step-son to a situation connected with his own mercantile
establishment in a foreign country, or a distant part of our own; and
forbore, until his plans were ripe, to distress me by giving way to the
feelings of displeasure which were burning within him--for he was, and
had ever been, as kind and indulgent towards his undeserving child as
was consistent with a due maintenance to his authority.

"Before such a course could be carried out, however, circumstances
occurred, and suspicions became aroused, which destroyed one of their
victims, and plunged the other----"

Here Emily's voice failed her. She laid her head upon Gertrude's
shoulder and sobbed bitterly.

"Do not try to tell me the rest, dear Emily," said Gertrude. "It is
enough for me to know that you are so unhappy. Do not distress yourself
by dwelling, for my sake, upon past sorrows."

"Past!" replied Emily, recovering her voice and wiping away her
tears. "No, they are never past. Nor am I unhappy, Gertrude. It is
but rarely that my peace is shaken; nor would I now allow my weak
nerves to be unstrung by imparting to another the secrets of that
never-to-be-forgotten time of trial, were it not that, since you know so
well how harmoniously and sweetly my life is passing on to its great and
eternal awakening, I desire to prove to my darling child the power of
that heavenly faith which has turned my darkness into marvellous light,
and made afflictions such as mine the blessed harbingers of ever-during
joy.

"I was suddenly taken ill with a fever. Mrs. Ellis, whom I had always
treated with coldness, and often with disdain, nursed me by night and
day with a care and devotion which I did not expect, and under her
nursing, and the skilful treatment of Dr. Jeremy, I began to recover.
One day, when I was able to be up and dressed for several hours at a
time, I went for change of air and scene into my father's library, and
there lay half reclining upon the sofa. Mrs. Ellis had gone to attend to
household duties, but before she left me she placed within my reach a
small table, upon which were arranged