arent effort, recognized his daughters standing
beside him: he made a feeble attempt to raise his mutilated hands, and
murmured faintly, "You've come at last!" then closing his eyes, he dropped
his arms, as if exhausted by the effort.

Esther knelt beside him, and pressed a kiss on his pale face.
"Father!--father!" said she, softly. He opened his eyes again, and a smile
of pleasure broke over his wan face, and lighted up his eyes, as he feebly
said, "God bless you, darlings! I thought you'd never come. Where's mother
and Caddy?"

"Here," answered Esther, "here, by me; your looks frightened her so, that
she's fainted." Doctor Burdett here interposed, and said: "You must all
go now; he's too weak to bear more at present."

"Let me stay with him a little longer," pleaded Esther.

"No, my child, it's impossible," he continued; "besides, your mother will
need your attention;" and, whilst he spoke, he led her into an adjoining
room, where the others had preceded her.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Charlie Distinguishes Himself.

Charlie had now been many weeks under the hospitable roof of Mrs. Bird,
improving in health and appearance. Indeed, it would have been a wonder if
he had not, as the kind mistress of the mansion seemed to do nought else,
from day to day, but study plans for his comfort and pleasure. There was
one sad drawback upon the contentment of the dear old lady, and that was
her inability to procure Charlie's admission to the academy.

One morning Mr. Whately called upon her, and, throwing himself into a
chair, exclaimed: "It's all to no purpose; their laws are as unalterable as
those of the Medes and Persians--arguments and entreaty are equally thrown
away upon them; I've been closeted at least half a dozen times with each
director; and as all I can say won't make your _protege_ a shade whiter,
I'm afraid his admission to the academy must be given up."

"It's too bad," rejoined Mrs. Bird. "And who, may I ask, were the principal
opposers?"

"They all opposed it, except Mr. Weeks and Mr. Bentham."

"Indeed!--why they are the very ones that I anticipated would go against it
tooth and nail. And Mr. Glentworth--surely he was on our side?"

"He!--why, my dear madam, he was the most rabid of the lot. With his
sanctified face and canting tongue!"

"I'm almost ashamed to own it--but it's the truth, and I shouldn't hesitate
to tell it--I found the most pious of the directors the least accessible;
as to old Glentwor