mured to herself, 'I'm not that sort to be knocked up with
nothing; but he is an easy kind-spoken gentleman after all. I'll never
forget what he has done for missus. There is not so much harm in him
neither; he is nothing but a great big boy as ought to be ashamed of
hisself.'

The night passed off well; Violet, with a great exertion of
self-command, actually composed herself on awaking in one of her nervous
fits of terror; prevented his being called; and fairly deserved all the
fond praise he lavished on her in the morning for having been so good a
child.

'You must not call me child now,' said she, with a happy little pride.
'I must be wiser now.'

'Shall I call you the prettiest and youngest mamma in England?'

'Ah! I am too young and foolish. I wish I was quite seventeen!'

'Have you been awake long?'

'Yes; but so comfortable. I have been thinking about baby's name.'

'Too late, Violet; they named him John: they say I desired it.'

'What! was he obliged to be baptized? Is he so delicate? Oh, Arthur!
tell me; I know he is tiny, but I did not think he was ill.'

Arthur tried to soothe her with assurances of his well-doing, and the
nurse corroborated them; but though she tried to believe, she was not
pacified, and would not let her treasure be taken from within her arms
till Mr. Harding arrived--his morning visit having been hastened by a
despatch from Arthur, who feared that she would suffer for her anxiety.
She asked so many questions that he, who last night had seen her too
weak to look up or speak, was quite taken by surprise. By a little
exceeding the truth, he did at length satisfy her mind; but after this
there was an alteration in her manner with her baby; it was not only the
mere caressing, there was a sort of reverence, and look of reflection
as she contemplated him, such as made Arthur once ask, what she could be
studying in that queer little red visage?

'I was thinking how very good he is!' was her simple answer, and
Arthur's smile by no means comprehended her meaning.

Her anxious mind retarded her recovery, and Arthur's unguarded voice on
the stairs having revealed to her that a guest was in the house, led to
inquiries, and an endless train of fears, lest Mr. Martindale should be
uncomfortable and uncared for. Her elasticity of mind had been injured
by her long course of care, and she could not shake off the household
anxieties that revived as she became able to think.

Indeed there were t