aces carried away, by the floods. Whole
fields lay under water, and there were many anxious hearts among those
who earned their bread by tillage of the soil. These dull days were in
keeping with the mood prevailing at Bourhill. Never had the atmosphere
of that happy house been so depressed and melancholy; its young mistress
appeared to have lost her interest in life. Many anxious talks had the
little spinster and the faithful Teen upon the theme so absorbingly
interesting to both--unsatisfactory talks at best, since none can
minister to a mind diseased. One day a letter came which changed the
current of life at Bourhill. How often is such an unpretending missive,
borne by the postman's careless hand, fraught with stupendous issues? It
came in a plain, square envelope, bearing the Glasgow post-mark, and the
words 'Royal Infirmary' on the flap. Gladys opened it, as she did most
things now, with but a languid interest, which, however, immediately
changed to the liveliest concern.

'Why, Miss Peck, it is a letter, see, about poor Lizzie Hepburn. I must
go to her at once, I and Teen. Where is she? If we make haste, we shall
catch the eleven-o'clock train.'

She handed Miss Peck the letter, and sprang up from a half-finished
breakfast. The little spinster perused the brief communication with the
deepest concern.

WARD XII., ROYAL INFIRMARY, GLASGOW,
'_September_ 6, 188 .

'MADAM,--I write to you at the request of one of the patients under
my care, a young woman called Lizzie Hepburn, who, I fear, is
dying. She appears very anxious to see you, and asked me to write
and ask you to come. I would suggest that, if at all possible, you
should lose no time, as we fear she cannot last many days, perhaps
not many hours.--Yours truly,

'CHARLOTTE RUTHERFURD.'

'This is from one of the nurses, I suppose,' said the little spinster
pityingly. 'Poor girl, poor thing! the end has come only a little sooner
than we anticipated.'

Gladys did not hear the last sentence. She was already in the hall
giving her orders, and then off in search of Teen, whose duties were not
very clearly defined, and who had no particular place of habitation in
the house. It said a great deal for Teen's prudence and tact that her
rather curious positions in the house--the trusted companion of the
housekee