hat tried him severely. At first, these were easily
removed by stimulants; but remedies seemed to lose their effect, and the
sinking was almost death-like.

'I think I could bear acute pain better!' he said one day; and more than
once the sigh broke from him almost unconsciously,--'Oh for one breath
of Redclyffe sea-wind!' Indeed, it seemed as if the close air of the
shut-in-valley, at the end of a long hot day was almost enough to
overwhelm him, weak as he had become. Every morning, when Amabel let in
the fresh breeze at the window, she predicted it would be a cool day,
and do him good; every afternoon the wind abated, the sun shone full
in, the room was stifling, the faintness came on, and after a few vain
attempts at relieving it, Guy sighed that there was nothing for it but
quiet, and Amy was obliged to acquiesce. As the sun set, the breeze
sprung up, it became cooler, he fell asleep, awoke revived, was
comfortable all the evening, and Amy left him at eleven or twelve, with
hopes of his having a good night.

It seemed to her as if ages had passed in this way, when one evening two
letters were brought in.

'From mamma!' said she; 'and this one,' holding it up, 'is for you. It
must have been hunting us everywhere. How many different directions!'

'From Markham,' said Guy. 'It must be the letter we were waiting for.'

The letter to tell them Redclyffe was ready to receive them! Amabel put
it down with a strange sensation, and opened her mother's. With a start
of joy she exclaimed--

'They are coming--mamma and papa!'

'Then all is right!'

'If we do not receive a much better account,' read Amy, 'we shall set
off early on Wednesday, and hope to be with you not long after you
receive this letter.'

'Oh I am so glad! I wonder how Charlie gets on without her.'

'It is a great comfort,' said Guy.

'Now you will see what a nurse mamma is!'

'Now you will be properly cared for.'

'How nice it will be! She will take care of you all night, and never
be tired, and devise everything I am too stupid for, and make you so
comfortable!'

'Nay, no one could do that better than you, Amy. But it is joy
indeed--to see mamma again--to know you are safe with her. Everything
comes to make it easy!' The last words were spoken very low; and she did
not disturb him by saying anything till he asked about the rest of the
letter, and desired her to read Markham's to him.

This cost her some pain, for it had been written in igno