and flew, with spoon and napkin, to arrest the dangerous stream. James also started to his feet, but from a different cause. The letter was crumpled in Olivia's hand. ominous sentence was unfinished.

That

What

had Mr. Barber begged her to say? Death or Life?

"Olivia, leave that alone, and go on reading" came the next moment, in a thundering voice.

Well might Olivia drop the napkin, and stare. Well might Marian stare likewise. But what cared James?

"Go ON," he repeated.

Olivia, instinctively obedient, forsook the cream and did

66

go on.

'begs me to say that, although her

lungs are in an exceedingly delicate state, there is, as yet, no disease."

"Thank God for that!" said James,

hoarsely; and strode from the room.

His sisters, in wondering consternation, heard him cross the hall, open the door,

and go out.

"Why, one might think that he was in love with Gabrielle !" said Marian.

"So one almost might!" said Cissy, innocently.

But Olivia, perplexed and sad, said nothing. Her eyes were opened at last.

66

Olivia, what can be done? You see, at the end of the letter, Mrs. Barber recommends care and vigilance and cod-liver oil, as if they were all to be mixed together:" and Cissy laughed spasmodically: "But I thought that there was seldom any hope for people in whom consumption is hereditary, when they get into a delicate state like this."

"Oh, Cissy! Yes; there is always hope: though, often, I fear, but little," said Olivia,

her cheeks wet with tears: "However, all that we can do, we will do; and we must try to be cheerful, and to make the very best of it to the dear child herself, when she

"And she knows nothing: did you read the postscript? Here it is. Olivia, listen. Such grand words, too!"

"P.S.-Both my husband and self have made it a point to betray no alarm in Gabrielle's presence. I believe the dear girl to be totally unaware of her critical condition: the more so, as she is ignorant of the consumptive tendency in her family. Her late lamented parent was very sensitive on the subject; and took every precaution to guard her from the sad knowledge. She has been told that her mother's illness was of a lingering kind; but nothing more and when the last survivor of her lamented uncles and aunts departed this life, she was

too young to understand the fell disease which destroyed them."

"Olivia, what was the last survivor? An uncle or an aunt, or what? I can't quite make out, from the letter."

แ 'Cissy, this is no subject for ridicule." "My dear Olivia! I'm far too goodnatured to ridicule anyone. But seriously, I see in a vision, a slate, a corrected copy, a Johnson's Dictionary, and a 'Crabbe's Synonyms.' Here: take back the glorious result."

She tossed the letter into Olivia's lap; shook her finger in Olivia's reproachful face; ran away upstairs to her own room, locked the door and cried as if her heart would break.

233

G

Lift

CHAPTER XI.

up thankful eyes, my sweet! Count equal, loss and gain; Because, as long as the world lasts,

Green leaves will come again.

DINA MULOCK.

ABRIELLE bade farewell to Evers

field, prepared, as she believed, for the worst; but in a state of mind far different from that in which she had quitted Farnley. She had then been restless, passionate, rebellious,-chafing and fretting under the yoke of pain and disappointment which seemed appointed for her. She had felt her trial, then, to be greater than she could bear. She had almost felt it to be

unjust.