ook, my poor Susan, and so old and gray! but what does
it matter, so that I have got my Susan back? If you had died, I should
have died too; God never meant to punish me like that.' And she stroked
and kissed her face as though she were a child, and for a little while
the two sisters mingled their tears together.

Susan was too weak for much emotion, so I placed her comfortably in her
easy-chair, and bade her look at Phoebe without troubling to talk; but
her heart was too full for silence.

'Why, my woman,' she burst out, 'you look real bonnie! I do believe your
face has got a bit of colour in it, and you remind me of the old Phoebe;
nay,' as Phoebe laughed at this, 'I never thought to hear you laugh
again, my dearie.'

'It is with the pleasure of seeing you,' returned Phoebe. 'If you only
knew what I suffered while you lay ill! "there is no improvement," they
said, and Miss Garston looked at me so pityingly; and if you had died and
never spoken to me again,--and I had refused to bid you good-night,--you
remember, Susan! oh, I think my heart would have broken if you had gone
away and left me like that.'

'Nay, I should have thought nothing about it, but that it was just
Phoebe's way. Do you mean that you fretted about that, lass? Oh,' turning
to me, for Phoebe was crying bitterly over the recollection, 'I would not
believe you, Miss Garston, when you said Phoebe was changed, for I said
to myself, "Surely she will be up to her old tricks again soon"; but now
I see you are right. Nay, never fret, my bonnie woman, for I loved you
when you were as tiresome and cross-grained as possible. I think I cannot
help loving yon,' finished Susan simply, as she took her sister's hand.

That was a happy evening that we spent in Phoebe's room. When tea was
over we read a few chapters, Kitty and I, and then I sang some of
Phoebe's favourite songs. When I had finished, I looked at them: Phoebe
had fallen asleep with Susan's hand still in hers: there was a look of
peaceful rest on the worn gray face that made me whisper to Miss Locke,--

'The evil spirit is cast out at last, Susan.'

'Ay,' returned Susan quietly. 'She is clothed and in her right mind, and
I doubt not sitting at the feet of Him who has called her. I have got my
Phoebe back again, thank God, as I have not seen her for many a long
year.'

CHAPTER XXVI

I HEAR ABOUT CAPTAIN HAMILTON

It was now more than five weeks since Gladys had left us, but during that