ndale Park, Captain Morville returned to make his
farewell visit at Hollywell, before joining his regiment at Cork, whence
it was to sail for the Mediterranean. He reckoned much on this visit,
for not even Laura herself could fathom the depth of his affection for
her, strengthening in the recesses where he so sternly concealed it, and
viewing her ever as more faultless since she had been his own. While she
was his noble, strong-minded, generous, fond Laura, he could bear with
his disappointment in his sister, with the loss of his home, and with
the trials that had made him a grave, severe man. She had proved the
strength of her mind by the self-command he had taught her, and for
which he was especially grateful to her, as it made him safer and more
unconstrained, able to venture on more demonstration than in those early
days when every look had made her blush and tremble.

Mr. Edmonstone brought the carriage to fetch him from the station, and
quickly began,--

'I suppose, as you have not written, you have found nothing out?'

'Nothing.'

'And you could do nothing with him. Eh?'

'No; I could not get a word of explanation, nor break through the fence
of pride and reserve. I must do him the justice to say that he bears the
best of characters at Oxford; and if there were any debts I could not
get at them from the tradesmen.'

'Well, well, say no more about it; he is an ungrateful young dog, and I
am sick of it. I only wish I could wash my hands of him altogether.
It was mere folly to expect any of that set could ever come to good.
There's everything going wrong all at once now; poor little Amy breaking
her heart after him, and, worse than all, there's poor Charlie laid up
again,' said Mr. Edmonstone, one of the most affectionate people in the
world; but his maundering mood making him speak of Charles's illness as
if he only regarded it as an additional provocation for himself.

'Charles ill!' exclaimed Philip.

'Yes; another, of those formations in the joint. I hoped and trusted
that was all over now; but he is as bad as ever,--has not been able to
move for a week, and goodness knows when he will again.'

'Indeed! I am very sorry. Is there as much pain as before?'

'Oh, yes. He has not slept a wink these four nights. Mayerne talks
of opium; but he says he won't have it till he has seen you, he is so
anxious about this unlucky business. If anything could persuade me to
have Guy back again it would be that this et