son, had written to her, that he was
wretched, heart-sore, and ill, and longed to come to her, his almost
mother, for sympathy, advice, and comfort: so she, with yearning heart, was
there to meet him.

At last the faint scream of the steam-whistle was heard, and soon the
lumbering locomotive came puffing and snorting on its iron path, dashing on
as though it could never stop, and making the surrounding hills echo with
the unearthly scream of its startling whistle, and arousing to desperation
every dog in the quiet little town. At last it stopped, and stood giving
short and impatient snorts and hisses, whilst the passengers were
alighting.

Clarence stepped languidly out, and was soon in the embrace of Miss Ada.

"My dear boy, how thin and pale you look!" she exclaimed; "come, get into
the carriage; never mind your baggage, George will look after that; your
hands are hot--very hot, you must be feverish."

"Yes, Aunt Ada," for so he had insisted on his calling her "I am ill--sick
in heart, mind, and everything. Cut up the horses," said he, with slight
impatience of manner; "let us get home quickly. When I get in the old
parlour, and let you bathe my head as you used to, I am sure I shall feel
better. I am almost exhausted from fatigue and heat."

"Very well then, dear, don't talk now," she replied, not in the least
noticing his impatience of manner; "when you are rested, and have had your
tea, will be time enough."

They were soon in the old house, and Clarence looked round with a smile of
pleasure on the room where he had spent so many happy hours. Good Aunt Ada
would not let him talk, but compelled him to remain quiet until he had
rested himself, and eaten his evening meal.

He had altered considerably in the lapse of years, there was but little
left to remind one of the slight, melancholy-looking boy, that once stood a
heavy-hearted little stranger in the same room, in days gone by. His face
was without a particle of red to relieve its uniform paleness; his eyes,
large, dark, and languishing, were half hidden by unusually long lashes;
his forehead broad, and surmounted with clustering raven hair; a glossy
moustache covered his lip, and softened down its fulness; on the whole, he
was strikingly handsome, and none would pass him without a second look.

Tea over, Miss Ada insisted that he should lie down upon the sofa again,
whilst she, sat by and bathed his head. "Have you seen your sister lately?"
she asked.