t understand. I never did ride myself; I suppose that
is the reason. Mr. Carlisle, what do you say to this lady riding all
alone by herself--without any one to take care of her?"

Mr. Carlisle's eyes rather opened at this question, as if he did not
fully take in the idea.

"She does it--you should see her going by as I did--as straight as a
grenadier, and her pony on such a jump! I thought to myself, Mr.
Carlisle is in London, sure enough. But it was a pretty sight to see.
My dear, how sorry we are to miss some one else from our circle, and he
did honour us at Wiglands--my sister and me. How sorry I am poor Mr.
Rhys is so ill. Have you heard from him to-day, Eleanor?"

"You should ask Julia, Miss Broadus. Is he much more ill than he was?
Julia hears of him every day, I believe."

"Ah, the children all love him. I see Julia and Alfred going by very
often; and the other boys come to see him constantly, I believe. And my
dear Eleanor, how kind it was of you to go yourself with something for
him! I saw you and Julia go past with your basket--don't you
remember?--that day before the rain; and I said to myself--no, I said
to Juliana, some very complimentary things about you. Benevolence has
flourished in your absence, Mr. Carlisle. Here was this lady, taking
jelly with her own hands to a sick man. Now I call that beautiful."

Mr. Carlisle preferred to make his own compliments; for he did not echo
those of the talkative lady.

"But I am afraid he is very ill, my dear," Miss Broadus went on,
turning to Eleanor again. "He looked dreadfully when I saw him; and he
is so feeble, I think there is very little hope of his life left. I
think he has just worked himself to death. But I do not believe,
Eleanor, he is any more afraid of death, than I am of going to sleep. I
don't believe he is so much."

Miss Broadus was called off; Mr. Carlisle had left the window; Eleanor
sat sadly thinking. The last words had struck a deeper note than all
the vexations of Miss Broadus's previous talk. "No more afraid of death
than of going to sleep." Ay! for his head was covered from danger.
Eleanor knew it--saw it--felt it; and felt it to be blessed. Oh how
should she make that same covering her own? There was an engagement to
spend the next afternoon at the Priory--the whole family. Dr. Cairnes
would most probably be there to meet them. Perhaps she might catch or
make an opportunity of speaking to him in private and asking him what
she wanted