solute and remarkable silence mean between two
people who look as affectionately on each other as these two look, every
time their eyes meet!

Is this one of the Mysteries of the painter's fireside?

Who is Madonna?

What is her real name besides Mary?

Is it Mary Blyth?

*****

Some years ago, an extraordinary adventure happened to Valentine in the
circus of an itinerant Equestrian Company. In that adventure, and in the
strange results attending it, the clue lies hidden, which leads to the
Mystery of the painter's fireside, and reveals the story of this book.

CHAPTER III. MADONNA'S CHILDHOOD.

In the autumn of 1838, Mrs. Blyth's malady had for some time past
assumed the permanent form from which it seldom afterwards varied. She
now suffered little actual pain, except when she quitted a recumbent
posture. But the general disorganization produced by almost exclusive
confinement to one position, had, even at this early period, begun
to work sad changes in her personal appearance. She suffered that
mortifying misfortune just as bravely and resignedly as she had suffered
the first great calamity of her incurable disorder. Valentine never
showed that he thought her altered; Valentine's kindness was just as
affectionate and as constant as it had ever been in the happier days of
their marriage. So encouraged, Lavinia had the heart to bear all burdens
patiently; and could find sources of happiness for herself, where others
could discover nothing but causes for grief.

The room she inhabited was already, through Valentine's self-denying
industry, better furnished than any other room in the house; but was far
from presenting the same appearance of luxury and completeness to which
it attained in the course of after-years.

The charming maple-wood and ivory bookcase, with the prettily-bound
volumes ranged in such bright regularity along its shelves, was there
certainly, as early as the autumn of 1838. It would not, however, at
that time have formed part of the furniture of Mrs. Blyth's room, if
her husband had not provided himself with the means of paying for it,
by accepting a certain professional invitation to the country, which
he knew before, and would enable him to face the terrors of the
upholsterer's bill.

The invitation in question had been sent to him by a clerical
friend, the Reverend Doctor Joyce, Rector of St. Judy's, in the large
agricultural town of Rubbleford. Valentine had produced a water-colo