s then surprised to find
him finishing a letter, resting his head on one hand, and looking wan,
weary, and very unhappy.

'Have you come to letter writing?'

'Yes,' he answered, in a worn, dejected tone, 'I must ask you to direct
this, I can't make it legible,'

No wonder, so much did his hand tremble, as he held out the envelope.

'To your sister?' she asked.

'No; to yours. I never wrote to her before. There's one enclosed to your
father, to tell all.'

'I am glad you have done it,' answered Amy, in a quiet tone of sincere
congratulation. 'You will be better now it is off your mind. But how
tired you are. You must go back to bed. Shall I call Arnaud?'

'I must rest first'--and his voice failing, he laid back on the sofa,
closed his eyes, turned ashy pale, and became so faint that she could
not leave him, and was obliged to apply every restorative within reach
before she could bring him back to a state of tolerable comfort.

The next minute her work was nearly undone, when Anne came in to ask for
the letters for the post. 'Shall I send yours?' asked Amy.

He muttered an assent. But when she looked back to him after speaking to
Anne, she saw a tremulous, almost convulsed working of the closed eyes
and mouth, while the thin hands were clenched together with a force
contrasting with the helpless manner in which they had hung a moment
before. She guessed at the intensity of anguish it mast cost a temper so
proud, a heart of so strong a mould, and feelings so deep, to take the
first irrevocable step in self-humiliation, giving up into the hands of
others the engagement that had hitherto been the cherished treasure
of his life; and above all, in exposing Laura to bear the brunt of the
penalty of the fault into which he had led her. 'Oh, for Guy to comfort
him,' thought she, feeling herself entirely incompetent, dreading to
intrude on his feelings, yet thinking it unkind to go away without one
sympathizing word when he was in such distress.

'You will be glad, in time,' at last she said. He made no answer.

She held the stimulants to him again, and tried to arrange him more
comfortably.

'Thank you,' at last he said. 'How is Guy?'

'He has just had another nice quiet sleep, and is quite refreshed.'

'That is a blessing, at least. But does not he want you? I have been
keeping you a long time?'

'Thank you, as he is awake, I should like to go back. You are better
now.'

'Yes, while I don't move.'

'Don't t