'Trust in that veiled hand, which leads

None by the path that he would go;

And always be for change prepared,

For the world's law is ebb and flow.'

FROM THE ARABIC.

The next afternoon Dr. Donaldson came to pay his first visit to

Mrs. Hale. The mystery that Margaret hoped their late habits of

intimacy had broken through, was resumed. She was excluded from

the room, while Dixon was admitted. Margaret was not a ready

lover, but where she loved she loved passionately, and with no

small degree of jealousy.

She went into her mother's bed-room, just behind the

drawing-room, and paced it up and down, while awaiting the

doctor's coming out. Every now and then she stopped to listen;

she fancied she heard a moan. She clenched her hands tight, and

held her breath. She was sure she heard a moan. Then all was

still for a few minutes more; and then there was the moving of

chairs, the raised voices, all the little disturbances of

leave-taking.

When she heard the door open, she went quickly out of the

bed-room.

'My father is from home, Dr. Donaldson; he has to attend a pupil

at this hour. May I trouble you to come into his room down

stairs?' She saw, and triumphed over all the obstacles which Dixon threw

in her way; assuming her rightful position as daughter of the

house in something of the spirit of the Elder Brother, which

quelled the old servant's officiousness very effectually.

Margaret's conscious assumption of this unusual dignity of

demeanour towards Dixon, gave her an instant's amusement in the

midst of her anxiety. She knew, from the surprised expression on

Dixon's face, how ridiculously grand she herself must be looking;

and the idea carried her down stairs into the room; it gave her

that length of oblivion from the keen sharpness of the

recollection of the actual business in hand. Now, that came back,

and seemed to take away her breath. It was a moment or two before

she could utter a word.

But she spoke with an air of command, as she asked:--'

'What is the matter with mamma? You will oblige me by telling the

simple truth.' Then, seeing a slight hesitation on the doctor's

part, she added-'I am the only child she has--here, I mean. My father is not

sufficiently alarmed, I fear; and, therefore, if there is any

serious apprehension, it must be broken to him gently. I can do

this. I can nurse my mother. Pray, speak, sir; to see your face,

and not be able to read it, gives me a worse dread than I trust

any words of yours will justify.'




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