to come in every day."

"Ah!" said he, "I little thought, at one time, that I should ever see
any of you again in this world."

"We have thought of you as near death," said Margaret; "and since that,
as having a sick-room experience, which we respect and stand in awe of;
and that is reason enough for our looking grave."

"You feel as if you had to become acquainted with me over again. Well,
we must lose no time; here is a month gone that I can give no account
of."

Hester felt how differently the case stood with her. The last month had
been the longest she had ever known,--tedious as to the state captive,
serving his noviciate to prison life. She would have been thankful to
say that she could give no account of the past month. She inquired how
the accident happened; for this was still a mystery to everybody. Mr
Hope could not clear up the matter: he remembered parting with Sydney,
and trotting, with the bridle of the pony in his hand, to the top of the
ascent,--the point where Sydney lost sight of him: he had no distinct
remembrance of anything more,--only a sort of impression of his horse
rearing bolt upright. He had never been thrown before; and his
supposition was, that a stone cast from behind the hedge might have
struck his horse: but he really knew no more of the affair than any one
else. The ladies all trusted he would not ride the same horse again;
but this he would not promise: his horse was an old friend; and he was
not in a hurry to part with old friends. He was glad to find that Miss
Young had not laid the blame on the pony, but had ridden it through the
woods as if nothing had happened.

"Not exactly so," said Margaret, smiling.

"The young folks did not enjoy their excursion very much, I fancy," said
Mrs Grey, smiling also. "Mrs Rowland was quite put out, poor soul!
You know she thinks everything goes wrong, on purpose to plague her."

"I think she had some higher feelings on that occasion," said Mr Hope,
gently, but gravely. "I am indebted to her for a very anxious concern
on my account, and for kind offices in which perhaps none of my many
generous friends have surpassed her."

Mrs Grey, somewhat abashed, said that Mrs Rowland had some good
qualities: it was only a pity that her unhappy temper did not allow them
fair play.

"It is a pity," observed Mr Hope; "and it is at the same time, an
appeal to us to allow her the fair play she does not afford herself.
That sofa looks delightfull