hat has exacted this sacrifice will watch over
Hugh."

"I know it," she said, weeping bitterly; "but he will have to
suffer--if I could only suffer for both!"

"He will not suffer one pang too much," was the quiet answer; "but you
are worn out, and I will not talk more to you to-night. Go to your own
room, Margaret; tomorrow we will speak of this again." But before she
left him he blessed her once more.

CHAPTER V.

THE LITTLE PRINCESS.

Her feet beneath her petticoat,
Like little mice, stole in and out,
As if they feared the light:
But oh! she dances such a way,
No sun upon an Easter day
Is half so fine a sight.

SUCKLING

One lovely spring afternoon Hugh Redmond walked through the narrow
winding lanes that lead to the little village of Daintree.

The few passers-by whom he encountered glanced curiously at the tall
handsome man in deep mourning, but Hugh did not respond to their
looks--he had a grave preoccupied air, and seemed to notice little; he
looked about him listlessly, and the beautiful country that lay bathed
in the spring sunlight did not seem to excite even a passing
admiration in his mind; the budding hedge-rows, the gay chirpings of
the unseen birds, busy with family cares, were all unheeded in that
hard self-absorbed mood of his. Things had gone badly with Hugh
Redmond of late; his broken engagement with Margaret Ferrers had been
followed by Sir Wilfred's death. Hugh's heart had been very bitter
against his father, but before Sir Wilfred died there had been a few
words of reconciliation. "You must not be angry with me, Hugh," the
old man had said; "I did it for the best. We were both right, both she
and I,--ah, she was a fine creature; but when one remembered her poor
mother's end--well, we will not speak of that," and then looking
wistfully at his son's moody face, he continued plaintively, "My boy,
you will be brave, and not let this spoil your life. I know it is hard
on you, but you must not forget you are a Redmond. It will be your
duty to marry. When I am gone, go down and see Colonel Mordaunt's
daughter: people tell me she is a pretty little creature; you might
take a fancy to her, Hugh;" and half to pacify the old man, and half
because he was so sick of himself that he did not care what became of
him, Hugh muttered a sort of promise that he would have a look at the
girl, and then for a time he forgot all abou