n. There was a knock at the
street door; she herself sprang out to open it. It was not Gerard. It
was Morley.

"Ah! Stephen," said Sybil, with a countenance of undisguised
disappointment, "I thought it was my father."

"I should have been glad to have found him here," said Morley. "However
with your permission I will enter."

"And he will soon arrive," said Sybil; "I am sure he will soon arrive. I
have been expecting him every minute--"

"For hours," added Morley, finishing her sentence, as they entered the
room. "The business that he is on," he continued, throwing himself into
a chair with a recklessness very unlike his usual composure and even
precision, "The business that he is on is engrossing."

"Thank Heaven," said Sybil, "we leave this place to-morrow."

"Hah!" said Morley starting, "who told you so?"

"My father has so settled it; has indeed promised me that we shall
depart."

"And you were anxious to do so."

"Most anxious; my mind is prophetic only of mischief to him if we
remain."

"Mine too. Otherwise I should not have come up today." "You have seen
him I hope?" said Sybil.

"I have; I have been hours with him."

"I am glad. At this conference he talked of?"

"Yes; at this headstrong council; and I have seen him since; alone.
Whatever hap to him, my conscience is assoiled."

"You terrify me, Stephen," said Sybil rising from her seat. "What can
happen to him? What would he do, what would you resist? Tell me--tell
me, dear friend."

"Oh! yes," said Morley, pale and with a slight yet bitter smile. "Oh!
yes; dear friend!"

"I said dear friend for so I deemed you." said Sybil; "and so we have
ever found you. Why do you stare at me so strangely, Stephen?"

"So you deem me, and so you have ever found me," said Morley in a slow
and measured tone, repeating her words. "Well; what more would you have?
What more should any of us want?" he asked abruptly.

"I want no more," said Sybil innocently.

"I warrant me, you do not. Well, well, nothing matters. And so," he
added in his ordinary tone, "you are waiting for your father?"

"Whom you have not long since seen," said Sybil, "and whom you expected
to find here?"

"No;" said Morley, shaking his head with the same bitter smile; "no, no.
I didn't. I came to find you."

"You have something to tell me," said Sybil earnestly. "Something has
happened to my father. Do not break it to me; tell me at once," and she
advanced and laid her hand upon his