e done
your bidding."

Henry then advised me to get off my horse; and lifting down
the child first, he helped me to dismount, and we walked to
the cottage. It was one of those lovely little homes that we
rarely see but in England, and that look (would that they
always were!) like the chosen abodes of peace and happiness.
The low thatched roof--the bright square-paned little
windows--the porch overgrown with clematis, jessamine, and
honeysuckle--the garden, where gooseberry bushes and stately
hollyhocks grow side by side. Of this description was Bridman
Cottage, and one of the loveliest that I ever set eyes upon.

As we entered, an elderly female came to the door, and, making
me a curtsey, said, in a formal manner, "This is an honour I
had not looked to, but I know how to be thankful for it, Miss
Middleton. Mr. Henry, I hope I see you well?"

"As well as usual, thank you (he replied). Miss Middleton has
brought you a message from her aunt."

"Yes," I immediately said; "Mrs. Middleton is very anxious to
know that you find yourself happy and comfortable here, and
would have come herself to see you, if she had been able to
leave my uncle for so long; but he has been ill lately, and
she scarcely ever goes far from the house."

"Tell Mrs. Middleton, Ma'am, that the house is good; that the
children are well; and that I am grateful to her."

There was something chilling in the manner with which this was
said, and the glassy eyes and thin lips of Mrs. Tracy were far
from prepossessing.

I made, however, another effort, and said, "If you could
manage to get as far as Elmsley, my aunt would, I know, be
glad to see you."

"I have nursed her at my bosom, and carried her in my arms,
and I do not care less for her now than I did then; but if it
was to save her life, I would not go to Elmsley and see--"

"Me there," exclaimed Henry. "I told you, Ellen, that I should
have to go through a scene, and now, I suppose, it must come
to pass. Go upstairs with Alice while I make my peace;" and as
he spoke, he almost pushed me out of the room, and shut the
door.

Alice followed me, and said, in her gentle voice, as I stood
at the bottom of the narrow stairs, somewhat puzzled and at a
loss what to do,

"If you will come to my room, Miss Middleton, I can show you
some of the reasons that make me like Bridman so much."

I gladly assented. She led the way, and opened the door of a
small room, in which there was no furniture, but