the chamber,
looking neither to right nor left. He wished to ignore that he was now
in Camilla's room, which was associated with so many painfully sweet
remembrances to him. He entered another room--he hurried through it. As
he passed by the large bedstead surrounded by heavy silk curtains, the
candle in his hand shook, and a deep groan escaped his breast. He now
stood at the door of the next chamber. He stopped for a moment to gain
breath and courage. With a hasty movement he threw open the door and
entered. His heart failed him when he beheld the peaceful scene before
him. A dark shady carpet covered the floor, simple green blinds hung at
the windows. There were no handsome paintings on the wall, no glittering
chandelier, no bright furniture, and still the apartment contained a
wondrous tenement, a great treasure. For in the middle of the room stood
a cradle, in the cradle lay his child, his first-born--the child of his
love, of his lost happiness. He knew by the great joy that overcame him,
by the loud beating of his heart, by the tears that welled to his eyes,
that this was his child. He prayed God to bless it--he swore to love it
faithfully to all eternity. He at last found the strength to approach
the little sleeping being whose presence rilled him with such wild joy.

The nurse sat by the cradle fast asleep. She did not see Lord Elliot
kneel beside the cradle and look tenderly at the sleeping face of her
nursling--she did not see him kiss the child, then lay its little hands
upon his own bowed head as if he needed his little daughter's blessing
to strengthen him. But all at once she was shaken by a strong hand, and
a loud, commanding voice ordered her to wake up, to open her eyes. She
sprang from her chair in terror--she had had a bad dream. But there
still stood the strange man, saying in a stern voice, "Get up and
prepare to leave here at once with me."

She wished to cry for help, but as she opened her mouth, he threw his
strong arm around her. "If you make a sound, I take the child and leave
you here alone. I have the right to command here--I am the father of
this child."

"Lord Elliot!" cried the nurse, in amazement.

Lord Elliot smiled. This involuntary recognition of his right did him
good and softened him.

"Fear nothing," said he, kindly, "no harm shall happen to you. I take
you and the child. If you love and are kind to it, you shall receive
from me a pension for life; from to-day your wages are d