eeping over him every now and then.

Still Mr. Cope came not. Alfred at last began to wonder aloud, and asked
if Harold had said anything about it when he came in to dinner; but he
heard that Harold had only rushed in for a moment, snatched up a lump of
bread and cheese, and made off to the river with some of the lads who
meant to spend the noon-tide rest in bathing.

When he came for the evening letters he was caught, and Mr. Cope was
asked for; and then it came out that Harold had never given the message
at all.

Alfred, greatly hurt, and sadly worn by his day of expectation, had no
self-restraint left, and flew out into a regular passion, calling his
brother angry names. Harold, just as passionate, went into a rage too,
and scolded his brother for his fancies. Mrs. King, in great
displeasure, turned him out, and he rushed off to ride like one mad to
Elbury; and poor Alfred remained so much shocked at his own outbreak,
just when he meant to have been good ever after, and sobbing so
miserably, that no one could calm him at all; and Ellen, as the only
hope, put on her bonnet to fetch Mr. Cope.

At that moment Paul was come for his bit of bread. She found him looking
dismayed at the sounds of violent weeping from above, and he asked what
it was.

'Oh, Alfred is so low and so bad, and he wants Mr. Cope! Here's your
bread, don't keep me!'

'Let me go! I'll be quicker!' cried Paul; and before she could thank
him, he was down the garden and right across the first field.

Alfred had had time to cry himself exhausted, and to be lying very still,
almost faint, before Mr. Cope came in in the summer twilight. Good Paul!
He had found that Mr. Cope was dining at Ragglesford and had run all the
way thither; and here was the kind young Curate, quite breathless with
his haste, and never regretting the cheerful party whence he had been
called away. All Alfred could say was, 'O Sir, I shall die; and I'm a
bad boy, and wouldn't heed you when you said so.'

'And God has made you see your sins, my poor boy,' said Mr. Cope. 'That
is a great blessing.'

'But if I can't do anything to make up for them, what's the use? And I
never shall be well again.'

'You can't make up for them; but there is One Who has made up for them,
if you will only truly repent.'

'I wasn't sorry till I knew I should die,' said Alfred.

'No, your sins did not come home to you! Now, do you know what they
are?'

'Oh yes; I've been a bad boy t