nd shortening shadows, to say nothing of stooped backs
and flushed faces, warned them to cease their labours, and prepare to
take their treasures home. Then they compared baskets, to the exultation
of some and the confusion of others. Miss Graves and Mr. Douglas were
bracketed first with a good six quarts a piece. Miss Halbert came next,
with Mr. Perrowne a little behind. Miss Du Plessis and Mr. Wilkinson had
not six quarts between them; and, when Marjorie saw the colonel's
little pail only half full, she exclaimed: "O horrows!" and said it was
a lasting disgrace. But Mrs. Du Plessis smiled sweetly with her
empurpled lips, and the colonel did not mind the disgrace a particle.
They all went home very merry and full of innocent jocularity.

"Cecile," said the dominie, "I trust you will excuse the adjective, but
I should dearly love to hear Corry's jolly laugh just now. Poor fellow,
I think I could almost bear a pun."

The audacious Mr. Perrowne overheard the last words, and, with great
exuberance of feeling, propounded a conundrum.

"Mr. Wilkinson, why is a pun of our friend Coristine's like your sling?
D'ye give it up? Because there's now arm in it now. Ha! ha!"

They had only been a few hours away, but, when they returned to
Bridesdale, it did not require clever eyes to see that a great change
had taken place. The people were in the house, even the children, but
they were all very quiet. Neither the doctor nor the Squire was visible,
and instinctively the berry-pickers feared the worst. Mrs. Carruthers
told them that excitement had been too much for the enfeebled patient.
Happily, he was not strong enough to be delirious, but he seemed
sinking, and had fallen into unconsciousness, only muttering little
incoherences in his attenuated voice. Doctor Halbert hoped much from a
strong constitution, but work and worry had reduced its vitality before
the dreadful drain came on the life blood. Soon, he came down stairs
with the Squire, both looking very solemn. "Let me go to my friend,
Doctor," pleaded Wilkinson, and many other offers of service were made,
but the doctor shook his head. "Miss Marjorie is there and will not
leave him," he answered; "and, if she cannot pull him through, nobody
else can. When she wants help, she will summon you." Then, turning to
Mr. Errol, he said: "I will go with you now, and see to that poor woman
at the post office." The minister took the good doctor's arm, and they
went away dinnerless to a