te ill; but we hope it will not be so severe an illness as
Philip's was. He sleeps a great deal, and is in no pain, quite sensible
when he is awake. Arnaud is very useful, and so is Anne; and he is so
quiet at night, that he wants no one but Arnaud, and will not let me sit
up with him. Philip is better.

'Your most affectionate,
'A.F.M.'

The reading was followed by a dead silence, then Mr. Edmonstone said he
had always known how it would be, and what would poor Amy do?

Mrs. Edmonstone was too unhappy to answer, for she could see no means of
helping them. Mr. Edmonstone was of no use in a sick-room, and she had
never thought it possible to leave Charles. It did not even occur to her
that she could do so till Charles himself suggested that she must go to
Amy.

'Can you spare me?' said she, as if it was a new light.

'Why not? Who can be thought of but Amy? She ought not to be a day
longer without you.'

'Dr. Mayerne would look in on you,' said she, considering, 'and Laura
can manage for you.'

'Oh, I shall do very well. Do you think I could bear to keep you from
her?'

'Some one must go,' said Mrs. Edmonstone, 'and even if I could think of
letting Laura run the risk, this unhappy affair about Philip puts her
going out of the question.'

'No one but you can go, said Charles; 'it is of no use to talk of
anything else.'

It was settled that if the next account was not more favourable, Mr.
and Mrs. Edmonstone should set off for Recoara. Laura heard, in
consternation at the thought of her father's meeting Philip, still weak
and unwell, without her, and perhaps with Guy too ill to be consulted.
And oh! what would Philip think of her? Her weakness had disclosed his
secret, and sunk her beneath him, and he must hear it from others. She
felt as if she could have thrown herself at her mother's feet as she
implored her to forbear, to spare him, to spare her. Her mother pitied
her incoherent distress, but it did not make her feel more in charity
with Philip. She would not promise that the subject should, not be
discussed, but she tried to reassure Laura by saying that nothing should
be done that could retard his recovery.

With this Laura was obliged to content herself; and early the second
morning, after the letter arrived, she watched the departure of her
father and mother.

She had expected to find the care of Charles very anxious work, but she
prospered beyond her hopes. He was v