ey were so!" she rejoined. "But I entreat you not
to go forth again till all danger is at an end."

"Rest assured I will not," he answered. Soon after this, Doctor Hodges
took his leave, and had already reached the street-door, when he was
arrested by Patience, who inquired with much anxiety whether he knew
anything of Blaize.

"Make yourself easy about him, child," replied the doctor; "I am pretty
sure he is safe and sound. He has had the plague, certainly; but he left
the hospital at Saint Paul's cured.

"O then I _shall_ see him again," cried Patience, joyfully. "Poor dear
little fellow, it would break my heart to lose him."

"I will make inquiries about him," rejoined Hodges, "and if I can find
him, will send him home." And without waiting to receive the
kitchen-maid's thanks, he departed.

For some days the grocer continued to pursue pretty nearly the same line
of conduct that he had adopted during the height of the pestilence. But
he did not neglect to make preparations for resuming his business; and
here Leonard was of material assistance to him. They often spoke of
Amabel, and Mr. Bloundel strove, by every argument he was master of, to
remove the weight of affliction under which his apprentice laboured. He
so far succeeded that Leonard's health improved, though he still seemed
a prey to secret sorrow. Things were in this state, when one day a knock
was heard at the street-door, and the summons being answered by the
grocer's eldest son, Stephen, he returned with the intelligence that a
person was without who desired to see Patience. After some
consideration, Mr. Bloundel summoned the kitchen-maid, and told her she
might admit the stranger into the passage, and hear what he had to say.
Patience hastened with a beating heart to the door, expecting to learn
some tidings of Blaize, and opening it, admitted a man wrapped in a
large cloak and having a broad-leaved hat pulled over his brows.
Stepping into the passage, he threw aside the cloak and raised the hat,
discovering the figure and features of Pillichody.

"What brings you here, sir?" demanded Patience, in alarm, and glancing
over her shoulder to see whether any one observed them. "What do you
want?"

"I have brought you news of Blaize," returned the bully. "But how
charmingly you look. By the coral lips of Venus! your long confinement
has added to your attractions."

"Never mind my attractions, sir," rejoined Patience, impatiently. "Where
is Blaize? Wh