, and rejoice conscientiously that you have
acted as you did.'

But I was not to be satisfied, although my first vehemence was quieted. In
my prayers that night my conscience upbraided me. When I lay down in bed
my nervousness returned fourfold. Everybody at all nervously excitable
has suffered some time or another by the appearance of ghastly features
presenting themselves in every variety of contortion, one after another,
the moment the eyes are closed. This night my dear father's face troubled
me--sometimes white and sharp as ivory, sometimes strangely transparent
like glass, sometimes all hanging in cadaverous folds, always with the same
unnatural expression of diabolical fury.

From this dreadful vision I could only escape by sitting up and staring
at the light. At length, worn out, I dropped asleep, and in a dream I
distinctly heard papa's voice say sharply outside the bed-curtain:--'Maud,
we shall be late at Bartram-Haugh.'

And I awoke in a horror, the wall, as it seemed, still ringing with the
summons, and the speaker, I fancied, standing at the other side of the
curtain.

A miserable night I passed. In the morning, looking myself like a ghost, I
stood in my night-dress by Lady Knollys' bed.

'I have had my warning,' I said. 'Oh, Cousin Monica, papa has been with me,
and ordered me to Bartram-Haugh; and go I will.'

She stared in my face uncomfortably, and then tried to laugh the matter
off; but I know she was troubled at the strange state to which agitation
and suspense had reduced me.

'You're taking too much for granted, Maud,' said she; 'Silas Ruthyn,
most likely, will refuse his consent, and insist on your going to
Bartram-Haugh.'

'Heaven grant!' I exclaimed; 'but if he doesn't, it is all the same to me,
go I will. He may turn me out, but I'll go, and try to expiate the breach
of faith that I fear is so horribly wicked.'

We had several hours still to wait for the arrival of the post. For both of
us the delay was a suspense; for me an almost agonising one. At length,
at an unlooked-for moment, Branston did enter the room with the post-bag.
There was a large letter, with the Feltram post-mark, addressed to Lady
Knollys--it was Doctor Bryerly's despatch; we read it together. It was
dated on the day before, and its purport was thus:--

'RESPECTED MADAM,--I this day saw Mr. Silas Ruthyn at Bartram-Haugh, and
he peremptorily refuses, on any terms, to vacate the guardianship, or to
consent to Miss R