ad,
while you make merry with your friends."

"Come--come--come, Mrs Lloyd," said Trevor, advancing to her, and
laying his hand caressingly on her shoulder, "you don't believe that;
you have too much respect for your old master's son to think he would
grow up such an ingrate--so utterly void of common feeling. He has not
forgotten who took the place of his mother--who nursed him--who tended
him through many an illness, and was always more a friend than a
servant. He has come back a man--I hope a generous one--accustomed to
command, and be obeyed. He wishes you to keep your position of
confidential trust, and the thought of making any change has never
entered his mind. All he wishes is that you should make an effort to
see the necessity for taking the place necessitated by the relative
positions in which we now find ourselves; and he tells you, Mrs Lloyd,
that you may rest assured while Penreife stands there is always a home
for you and for your husband."

As he touched her a shiver ran through the woman's frame; the inimical
aspect faded out, and she looked admiringly in his face, her own working
the while, as his grave words were uttered, till, sobbing violently, she
threw her arms round his neck, kissed him passionately again and again,
and then sank upon the floor to cover her face with her hands.

"There--there, nurse," he said, taking her hand and raising her. "Let
this show you I've not forgotten old times. This is to be the seal of a
compact for the future,"--he kissed her gravely on the forehead. "Now,
nurse, you will believe in your master for the future, and you see your
way?"

"Yes, sir," she said, looking appealingly in his face.

"We thoroughly understand each other?"

"Yes, sir; and I'll try never to thwart you again."

"You'll let me be master in my own house?" he said, his handsome face
lighting up with a smile.

"Yes, indeed, I will, sir," sobbed the woman; "and--and--you're not
angry with me--for--for--"

"For what--about the wine?"

"No, sir, for the liberty I took just now."

"Oh no," he said; "it was a minute's relapse to old times. And now," he
continued, taking her hand, to lead her to the door, "it is very late,
and I must finish my letter. Good night, nurse."

"Good night, sir--and--God bless you!" she exclaimed, passionately.

And the door closed between them--another woman seeming to be the one
who went upstairs.

Volume 2, Chapter IV.

"SING HEIGH--SING HO!"

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