a great deal of harm, and that, as really you were not to blame
in the quarrel, my evidence would be in your favor rather than against
you. He says he knew that you would wish me to tell exactly what took
place."

"Certainly, Charlie; there is nothing I could want hid. I was wrong to
speak of him as Foxey, and to let fly as I did about him; but there was
nothing intended to offend him in that, because, of course, I had no
idea that he could hear me. The only thing I have to blame myself very
much for is for getting into a wild passion. I don't think any one would
say I did wrong in going out of the house after being knocked about so;
but if I had not got into a passion, and had gone straight to Bill's, or
to Abijah, or to Mr. Porson, which would have been best of all, to
have stopped the night, all this would not have come upon me; but I let
myself get into a blind passion and stopped in it for hours, and I am
being punished for it."

"It was natural that you should get in a passion," Charlie said stoutly.
"I think any one would have got in a passion."

"I don't think you would, Charlie," Ned said, smiling.

"No," Charlie replied; "but then you see that is not my way. I should
have cried all night; but then I am not a great, strong fellow like you,
and it would not be so hard to be knocked about."

"It's no use making excuses, Charlie. I know I ought not to have given
way to my temper like that. Now, Lucy dear, as you are feeling better,
you must sit up and talk to me. How is mother?"

"Mother is in bed," Lucy said. "She's always in bed now; the house is
dreadful, Ned, without you, and they say you are not to come back yet,"
and the tears came very near to overflowing again.

"Ah! well, I hope I shall be back before long, Lucy."

"I hope so," Lucy said; "but you know you will soon be going away again
to be a soldier."

"I shall not go away again now, Lucy," Ned said quietly. "When I come
back it will be for good."

"Oh! that will be nice," Lucy said joyously, "just as it used to be,
with no one to be cross and scold about everything."

"Hush! little woman, don't talk about that. He had his faults, dear, as
we all have, but he had a great deal to worry him, and perhaps we did
not make allowances enough for him, and I do think he was really fond of
you, Lucy, and when people are dead we should never speak ill of them."

"I don't want to," Lucy said, "and I didn't want him to be fond of me
when he wasn't fon