go away?' she said, holding Gladys by the hand.
'She may come home with me, Miss Gwynne?'

Gladys knelt down by the sofa, and tried to soothe her, by telling her
that her brother was coming to fetch her.

'I can't go home without Gladys!' persisted Netta, casting wild,
beseeching glances from one to the other of the friends who stood round
her.

'She shall go with you, Netta, decidedly,' said Miss Gwynne. 'It will be
much the best plan.'

'Gladys, you will come with us?' said Minette, throwing her arm round
her neck, as she knelt by her mother. 'You won't go away from poor
mamma, and your little Minette.'

Gladys felt, that in this, she was but an instrument. However it was
settled that she was to accompany Netta home; and if the inmates of the
farm did not receive her willingly, she was to go to the Park, whither
Miss Gwynne was to follow shortly, for her long-promised Christmas
visit.

When Netta and Rowland were left alone, Minette having been seduced by
Miss Gwynne into another room, Netta said,--

'You see, Rowland, I must go away directly, because I don't know when he
may come. I am sure he will fetch me, and if I stay here he will not
know where to find me.'

'Only two or three days, dear Netta. I have written to Owen. He will get
the letter to-morrow, and be here the next day. You can start the day
after to-morrow, if you will try to rouse yourself, and eat and drink.'

'Yes, I will; but I am afraid of father. It is nearly ten years since I
saw him, and if he is cross now, I shall die.'

'He will be kind, quite kind.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yes, quite sure.'

'And will you come and see me, Rowland? I used to think you cross too,
but now you are very good to me. Do you think it was wrong of me to run
away with Howel? You know he loves me; he says so, Rowland.'

Here Netta pressed her hand upon the letter that was in her bosom, and
Rowland kissed her tenderly.

At intervals, during that day and the next, Netta made fitful efforts
to exert herself, but it was evident to all that her body was getting
weaker, and every one dreaded the journey in prospect, and longed for
its conclusion.

Netta had taken a sudden and violent interest in teaching her child to
read and repeat hymns. The hymns that it pleased Minette best to learn
were some that Gladys had sung at her mother's request. These Netta did
not know by heart, indeed, her failing memory prevented her retaining
anything she had once known; so an