it in Leonard's right hand, and quietly slipped to the
wrist of the left his forefinger and thumb, as physicians are said to do
when a victim is stretched on the rack. "Pulse decreasing," he muttered;
"wonderful thing, aconite!" Meanwhile Leonard read as follows, faults in
spelling and all:--

DR. MORGAN

SIR,--I received your favur duly, and am glad to hear that the pore
boy is safe and Well. But he has been behaving ill, and ungrateful
to my good son Richard, who is a credit to the whole Famuly and has
made himself a Gentleman and Was very kind and good to the boy, not
knowing who and What he is--God forbid! I don't want never to see
him again--the boy. Pore John was ill and Restless for days
afterwards. John is a pore cretur now, and has had paralyticks.
And he Talked of nothing but Nora--the boy's eyes were so like his
Mother's. I cannot, cannot see the Child of Shame. He can't cum
here--for our Lord's sake, sir, don't ask it--he can't, so
Respectable as we've always been!--and such disgrace! Base
born! base born! Keep him where he is, bind him prentis, I'll pay
anything for That. You says, sir, he's clever, and quick at
learning; so did Parson Dale, and wanted him to go to Collidge and
make a Figur,--then all would cum out. It would be my death, sir; I
could not sleep in my grave, sir. Nora, that we were all so proud
of. Sinful creturs that we are! Nora's good name that we've saved,
now gone, gone. And Richard, who is so grand, and who was so fond
of pore, pore Nora! He would not hold up his Head again. Don't let
him make a Figur in the world; let him be a tradesman, as we were
afore him,--any trade he takes to,--and not cross us no more while
he lives. Then I shall pray for him, and wish him happy. And have
not we had enuff of bringing up children to be above their birth?
Nora, that I used to say was like the first lady o' the land-oh, but
we were rightly punished! So now, sir, I leave all to you, and will
Pay all you want for the boy. And be sure that the secret's kept.
For we have never heard from the father, and, at leest, no one knows
that Nora has a living son but I and my daughter Jane, and Parson
Dale and you--and you Two are good Gentlemen--and Jane will keep her
word, and I am old, and shall be in my grave Soon, but I hope it
won't be while pore John needs me. What could he do without me?
And if that got