e spring, and it is clothed with verdure.
Space is void till the sun shoots its sudden rays athwart it, and
makes it splendid; the heart is cold and unwitting of its ends, till
the spirit broods upon it, as upon the waters, and it grows quick with
the purposes of life. And then what a change is there! What has the
flower in common with the seed from whence it sprang, or the noonday
sky with the darkness before the dawn?

Thinking in her chamber, with the night air playing on her hot brow,
and her hand pressed upon her heart, as though to still the tumult of
its joy, Angela grew vaguely conscious of these things.

"Was she the same in heart and mind that she had been a month ago? No,
a thousand times, no. Then what was this mysterious change that seemed
to shake her inmost life to its foundations? What angel had troubled
the waters into which she had so newly plunged? And whence came the
healing virtue that she found in them, bringing rest after the vague
trouble of the last two weeks, with sight to see the only good--her
love, with speed to follow, and strength to hold? Oh, happy, happy
world! oh, merciful Creator, who gave her to drink of such a living
spring! oh, Arthur, beloved Arthur!"

On Sunday mornings it was Pigott's habit to relax the Draconian
severity of her laws in the matter of breakfast, which, generally
speaking, was not till about half-past eight o'clock. At that hour
precisely, on the Sabbath in question, she appeared as usual--no, not
as usual, for, it being Sunday, she had on her stiff, black gown--and,
with all due solemnity, made the tea.

A few minutes elapsed, and Angela entered, dressed in white, and very
lovely in her simple, tight-fitting robe, but a trifle pale, and with
a shy look upon her face.

She greeted her nurse with a kiss.

"Why, what is the matter with you, dearie?" ejaculated Pigott, whose
watchful eye detected a change she could not define; "you look
different somehow."

"Hush! I will tell you by-and-by."

At that moment Arthur's quick step was heard advancing down the
passage, together with a pattering noise that announced the presence
of Aleck. And, as they came, Angela, poor Angela, grew red and redder,
and yet more painfully red, till Pigott, watching her face, was
enabled to form a shrewd guess as to what was the cause of her
unaccustomed looks.

On came the steps, and open flew the door, more and more ready to sink
into the earth looked Angela, and so interested g