Mr. Aubrey drew himself up
unconsciously as Kate went on, and she perceived him becoming still
paler than before, and _felt_ the kindling anger of his eye.

"Forget it--forget it, dearest Charles!--So despicable a being is really
not worth a thought," said Kate, with increasing anxiety; for she had
never in her life before witnessed her brother the subject of such
powerful emotions as then made rigid his slender frame. At length
drawing a long breath--

"It is fortunate for him, Kate," said he, calmly, "that _he_ is not a
gentleman, and that I _endeavor to be_--a Christian." She flung her arms
round him, exclaiming, "There spoke my own noble brother!"

"I shall preserve this letter as a curiosity, Kate," said he, presently,
and with a faint smile, and a pointed significance of manner, which
arrested his sister's attention, he added,--"It is rather singular, but
some time before you came in, I opened a letter in which your name is
mentioned--I cannot say in a _similar_ manner, and yet--in short, it is
from Lord De la Zouch, enclosing one"----

Miss Aubrey suddenly blushed scarlet, and trembled violently.

"Don't be agitated, my dear Kate, the enclosure is from Lady De la
Zouch; and if it be in the same strain of kindness that pervades Lord De
la Zouch's letter to _me_"----

"I would rather that _you_ opened and read it, Charles"--she faltered,
sinking into a chair.

"Come, come, dear Kate--play the woman!" said her brother, with an
affectionate air--"To say that there is nothing in these letters that I
believe will interest you--very deeply gratify and interest your
feelings--would be"----

"I know--I--I--suspect--I"---- faltered Miss Aubrey, with much
agitation--"I shall return."

"Then you shall take these letters with you, and read, or not read them,
as you like," said her brother, putting them into her hand with a fond
and sorrowful smile, which soon, however, flitted away--and, leading her
to the door, he was once more alone; and, after a brief interval of
revery, he wrote answers to such of the many letters before him as he
considered earliest to require them.

Notwithstanding the judgment and tenderness with which Dr. Tatham
discharged the very serious duty which, at the entreaty of his afflicted
friends, he had undertaken, of breaking to Mrs. Aubrey the calamity with
which she and her family were menaced, the effects of the disclosure had
been most disastrous. They occasioned an attack of paralysis;