y Eli and
Catherine recognizing her betrothal, now revived in full force; others
would not look so favourably on her story. And often she moaned over her
boy's illegitimacy.

"Is it not enough for us to be bereaved? Must we be dishonoured too? Oh,
that we had ne'er been born."

A change took place in Peter Brandt. His mind, clouded for nearly two
years, seemed now to be clearing; he had intervals of intelligence; and
then he and Margaret used to talk of Gerard, till he wandered again. But
one day, returning after an absence of some hours, Margaret found
him conversing with Catherine, in a way he had never done since his
paralytic stroke. "Eh, girl, why must you be out?" said she. "But
indeed I have told him all; and we have been a-crying together over thy
troubles."

Margaret stood silent, looking joyfully from one to the other.

Peter smiled on her, and said, "Come, let me bless thee."

She kneeled at his feet, and he blessed her most eloquently.

He told her she had been all her life the lovingest, truest, and most
obedient daughter Heaven ever sent to a poor old widowed man. "May thy
son be to thee what thou hast been to me!"

After this he dozed. Then the females whispered together; and Catherine
said--"All our talk e'en now was of Gerard. It lies heavy on his mind.
His poor head must often have listened to us when it seemed quite dark.
Margaret, he is a very understanding man; he thought of many things: 'He
may be in prison, says he, 'or forced to go fighting for some king,
or sent to Constantinople to copy books there, or gone into the Church
after all.' He had a bent that way."

"Ah, mother," whispered Margaret, in reply, "he doth but deceive himself
as we do."

Ere she could finish the sentence, a strange interruption occurred.

A loud voice cried out, "I SEE HIM, I SEE HIM."

And the old man with dilating eyes seemed to be looking right through
the wall of the house.

"IN A BOAT; ON A GREAT RIVER; COMING THIS WAY. Sore disfigured; but I
knew him. Gone! gone! all dark."

And he sank back, and asked feebly where was Margaret.

"Dear father, I am by thy side, Oh, mother! mother, what is this?"

"I cannot see thee, and but a moment agone I saw all round the world,
Ay, ay. Well, I am ready. Is this thy hand? Bless thee, my child, bless
thee! Weep not! The tree is ripe."

The old physician read the signs aright. These calm words were his last.
The next moment he drooped his head, and gently, placi