.

"I sleep at St. James's, and shall be back at Airslie to-morrow morning
before my guests are recovered from the effects of to-night," she urged.
"Your hospitality is kindly meant, Hamilton, but I cannot accept it;
both Caroline and her mother can dispense with my company now."

"Then let me accompany you home?"

"I will not hear of it, my good friend. Good night, once more; God bless
you!"

Mr. Hamilton knew the character of his noble friend too well to urge
more, and therefore contented himself by accompanying her down stairs.

To describe Mrs. Hamilton's feelings, as she listened to the words of
the Duchess, would be indeed a vain attempt. We know all the anguish she
had suffered when Caroline's conduct had first caused her uneasiness,
and now the heightened agony of her fond heart may be easily imagined.
Almost unconsciously she had withdrawn her arm; but Caroline clung more
convulsively to her robe, and her first wild words sounded again and
again in her mother's ears, soothing while they inflicted pain.

"Can it be possible I have heard aright? Have I indeed been thus
deceived?" she asked, struggling to speak calmly, when the Duchess and
her husband had left the room; and she fixed her sad, searching glance
upon Caroline, who for a moment raised her head.

"Mother, dearest mother, condemn me, despise me as you please; I deserve
it all," she replied, in an accent of most piercing wretchedness. "Only
say that I may in time regain your love, your confidence; that you will
take me to your heart again. I have disregarded your affection; I have
wilfully cast it from me. Yet--oh, if you knew all I have suffered.
Mamma, mamma, oh, speak but one word more of kindness! I know I deserve
it not, but my heart feels breaking. I have no other friend on earth
but you; oh, call me but your child again, mother!"

Her voice utterly failed, a film suddenly obscured her sight, and a
sense of suffocation rose in her throat; the misery of the last ten
days, the wretchedness and excitement of that day had deprived her of
more strength than she was at all aware of, and with one convulsive
effort to clasp her mother's hand to her throbbing heart, she sunk
exhausted at her feet. Emmeline would have flown for assistance, but a
look from her mother bade her pause, and she remained with Ellen to seek
those restoratives that were at hand. With a throbbing heart and
trembling hand, Mrs. Hamilton raised her repentant child, and with the