s well as possible,
ordered her not to go and make any more fuss, and left her hastily. She
was unhappy, and far from satisfied; she had never known his temper
so much affected, and was much puzzled; but she was too much afraid of
vexing him, to impart her perplexity even to Margaret. However, the next
day, Sunday, as she was reading to Margaret after church, her father
came in, and the first thing he said was, "I want to know what you think
of Norman."

"How do you mean?" said Margaret; "in health or spirits?"

"Both," said Dr. May. "Poor boy! he has never held up his head since
October, and, at his age, that is hardly natural. He goes moping about,
has lost flesh and appetite, and looks altogether out of older, shooting
up like a Maypole too."

"Mind and body," said Margaret, while Ethel gazed intently at her
father, wondering whether she ought to speak, for Margaret did not know
half what she did; nothing about the bad nights, nor what he called the
"funny state."

"Yes, both. I fancied it was only his rapid growth, and the excitement
of this examination, and that it would go off, but I think there's more
amiss. He was lounging about doing nothing, when the girls were gone
to school after dinner, and I asked him to walk down with me to the
Almshouses. He did not seem very willing, but he went, and presently, as
I had hold of his arm, I felt him shivering, and saw him turn as pale as
a sheet. As soon as I noticed it, he flushed crimson, and would not hear
of turning back, stoutly protesting he was quite well, but I saw his
hand was quivering even when I got into church. Why, Ethel, you have
turned as red as he did."

"Then he has done it!" exclaimed Ethel, in a smothered voice.

"What do you mean? Speak, Ethel."

"He has gone past it--the place," whispered she.

The doctor made a sound of sorrowful assent, as if much struck; then
said, "you don't mean he has never been there since?"

"Yes," said Ethel, "he has always gone round Randall's alley or the
garden; he has said nothing, but has contrived to avoid it."

"Well," said Dr. May, after a pause, "I hoped none of us knew the exact
spot."

"We don't; he never told us, but he was there."

"Was he?" exclaimed her father; "I had no notion of that. How came he
there?"

"He went on with Mr. Ernescliffe, and saw it all," said Ethel, as her
father drew out her words, apparently with his eye; "and then came up to
my room so faint that he was obliged to lie on