Browning gaped at her in silent bewilderment. "You know me now?" she breathed in his ear.

The young man nodded, trying at the same time to shake off the hand which still kept guard over his mouth.

"Would you wish to do me service?" pursued Willson, in the aforesaid low tone; 66 one that I shall thank you for until I cease to breathe?"

"Get up at once, then-don't wait to dress; but just throw on a few of your clothes, and then come to me-you will find me outside the door. Above all things, make no noise!"

Almost before the words were spoken Browning had sprung out of bed, and was hastily thrusting himself into one of his garments.

He was thoroughly awake now; and seeing by Willson's strangely excited countenance that something unusual had happened, he felt most anxious to ascertain how he could serve her.

Scarcely two minutes elapsed ere he joined her in the passage. "Ah! that's right!" she said, on observing that he carried his boots in his hand. "Now follow me without a word."

He obeyed; and, having led the way to one of the back staircases, she swiftly descended, and then, greatly to Browning's surprise, entered a wide gallery at the rear of the building, which was now never used; and, pausing at the upper end, touched a spring in the wall, when suddenly a door swung back upon its rusty hinges with a harsh, creaking sound, revealing a narrow passage, at the end of which was another door.

"Where are we going?" demanded Browning, unable longer to restrain his curiosity.

"Don't stop to ask questions," was Willson's answer; "I'll tell you all you want to know another day. Just listen to me now. That door will admit you into the stables."

"The stables!" ejaculated Browning; "why

"What I want you to do is this," hurriedly interrupted the old woman; "take out one of the horses without stopping to awaken the grooms, and ride off for your life to Dr. Leslie; will you do this?" Certainly," said the young man, going forward a step.

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"Tell him to come here instantly," she continued; "instantly." "Who shall I say is ill?" asked Browning, puzzled beyond measure at her agitated manner; "is it him?" meaning Mr. Seymour. "No; but Browning "—she hesitated, though only for a second"can I trust you ? "

"I hope so," he returned, somewhat impatiently.

'Well, you shall tell him the truth, in order that he may know what he ought to bring with him. Say that if he comes immediately he may yet save my mistress's life."

"Ah! I see how it is," muttered Browning, starting back, and regarding her in unfeigned compassion; "I knew something would happen to you, if you would persist in sitting up night after night in that

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Will you listen to me?" asked Willson, a look of agony crossing her face.

"Oh! certainly," said the other, awed by her tone of eager entreaty.

"I solemnly assure you, then, that I left her alive five minutes ago."

Browning uttered an exclamation of concentrated bewilderment. "I heard her sigh three times, and when I looked at her, I found that her eyes were wide open, and one of her hands had moved from the position it was in all the day. Since that, I have been giving her some wine, and she is now quite conscious; but her weakness is so great, that unless you can get the doctor to come at once, it will be of no use."

All this was said with the utmost rapidity, but in a voice of such deep solemnity and undoubted sincerity, that Browning felt staggered.

"Wine!" he repeated, seizing on that as the most tangible part of her communication; "are you certain she has been taking wine?

"Quite," responded Willson, with a groan; "but while you are talking here, she may be dying for want of medical advice." "Well, I'll go," said Browning, energetically. "There can be no harm in humouring her," he murmured to himself, as he slipped back the sliding door which admitted him into the stable.

"The doctor is needed-that's evident! for even if this story about Mrs. Seymour turns out to be a mistake, as I very much fear will be the case, still it will only prove how greatly poor Willson requires his attendance on her own account."

The latter retraced her steps, directly she got rid of Browning, and, going to the kitchen, she filled two large foot-warmers with boiling water, and carried them to Mrs. Seymour's chamber.

She found the lady's hands and feet still cold, but not colder than when she had last felt them; and, in other respects, her condition seemed precisely the same as before-neither better nor worse. The hot water soon had the desired effect of diffusing a gentle and natural heat throughout the system; and Willson, on thus discovering to her infinite relief that the measures hitherto adopted had been successful, no longer hesitated to repeat the doses of port wine.

A complete revolution had now taken place in the old woman's appearance, no less than her feelings. Her face, though still thin and worn, was lighted up with inexpressible happiness; the flush of excitement had replaced the deadly pallor of her cheek, and instead of wishing to die, her constant prayer was that she might live.

Her feebleness and exhaustion were now forgotten, or, if remembered, only to render her eager in adopting every means towards regaining her strength, for the purpose of enabling her to resume her loving ministrations in the sick room.

Once she actually stole into an adjoining apartment, where she knew she should find some refreshments, which the good-natured Juliet had insisted on carrying there the previous evening, hoping she might be tempted to partake of them; and after forcing herself to swallow a morsel of meat, she returned, and, hastilly pouring out a glass of wine, drank it with the greatest avidity.

This done, she softly closed the door of Mrs. Seymour's dressingroom, which was slightly ajar, locked it, and put the key in her pocket, and then, seeing from the patient's quiet and comparatively easy position that she did not require any further attention for the present, she embraced the opportunity thus afforded her of going to arouse the housekeeper, whose assistance she thought might ere long be needed.

CHAPTER LXIX.

THE LONDON PHYSICIAN.

"The darkest night that shrouds the sky,

Of beauty hath a share;

The blackest heart hath signs to tell
That God still lingers there."

ROBERT NICOLL.

Envy not greatness, for thou mak'st thereby
Thyself the worse, and so the distance greater."

GEO. HERBERT.

BEATTIE.

"Can jealous fear truth's dauntless heart enthrall? Suspicion lurks not in the heart of truth." WILLSON found it somewhat difficult to make Mrs. Morby comprehend what had occurred-the phlegmatic temperament of that matterof-fact individual rendering her far less susceptible than Browning, and more obstinate in questioning and contradicting the accuracy of her reiterated assertions.

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· Depend upon it, you have been dreaming," was her slighting remark, as Willson concluded her hurried narration; "such things never happen now-a-days, I assure you!"

"Very well," replied the old woman, moving despairingly toward the door, "if you won't believe me, I can't help it. I came to you first, thinking that your experience might be able to suggest something

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My experience!" interrupted the housekeeper, with a scornful laugh; "it has not yet taught me how to recall the dead to life."

"None but the Lord can do that," solemnly rejoined Willson; "I fancied, however, that by informing you of what is going on, we should be able to do away with the necessity of calling up any of the other servants previous to the doctor's arrival, but

"The doctor!" repeated Morby, opening her cold eyes in perplexity; "surely you have not sent for him?"

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Indeed, I am thankful to say I have he may be here any mo

ment."

"The old fool!" mentally aspirated Mrs. Morby; "she is evidently quite insane. Nevertheless, I should be playing my cards very badly were I to offend her; suppose, therefore, I must humour her for the

time."

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'Stay," she exclaimed in a conciliatory tone, when she saw that Willson was really leaving the room; you must excuse me, my good friend, for being rather slow in believing what you tell me—it seems so extraordinary."

"Of course it does," briefly replied the other; "but it's true for all that."

"Would you mind explaining it to me again?" blandly continued the housekeeper, fixing her small glassy eyes upon the old woman's agitated face. 'Just begin from the beginning, if you please, for I am afraid I was too sleepy to take in all you said."

"I can't stay long," returned Willson, coming back to the bedside; "but in a few words I'll repeat what I told you before, and then if you refuse to help me, I must get Juliet."

Mrs. Morby's object, in requesting her to do this, was simply to gain time, in order that she might resolve on the most politic course of action.

Nevertheless, she listened with the utmost attention to Willson's repetition of the marvellous manner in which their mistress had been restored from apparent death to life, and gradually incredulity was changed into doubt, doubt into wonder and amazement, and these, again, into a firm conviction of the truth of the old woman's statement. As this conclusion forced itself upon her mind, every straight line in her calm, cold face became suddenly and closely compressed; the eyes; which had hitherto been unflinchingly rivetted on Willson's countenance, were hastily and somewhat confusedly withdrawn ; and for a short time she seemed to have lost the power of making any reply.

These marks of perturbation would have revealed to a sharpsighted observer that of which Willson in her simplicity was in happy ignorance. She, kind, unsuspecting soul, never doubted that her news, when once believed, would prove a source of the greatest happiness to others, no less than herself. Instead, therefore, of being chilled and disgusted by the ominous silence that followed her communication, she attributed it solely and entirely to excess of joy on the part of Mrs. Morby; and, as such, she respected it.

How would she have turned from her with horror and loathing, had her heart at that moment been laid bare before her-had she seen the surging tide of passions which rose and fell beneath the rigid exterior, and known how many and conflicting were the emotions which chased themselves in rapid succession through her mind! Pride, selfishness, ambition, and covetousness-these were the hidden features of her character, though political and self-interested motives often made her appear in a very different light.

I do not mean to insinuate that Mrs. Seymour's death had occasioned the housekeeper pleasure. No. When the melancholy announcement was first made, she felt really shocked and grieved; for the gentle lady had always been a kind and indulgent mistress, and none but a thoroughly hardened wretch could have experienced anything but regret at her loss.

But she had by this time become accustomed to the new order of things, and, almost without being conscious of the fact, she allowed herself to dwell upon certain consequences which would probably follow this break in Mr. Seymour's home-consequences by no means undesirable so far as she was concerned-and weave dreams of future prosperity (in which she, of course, was the person benefited), until in imagination she already fancied herself in possession of the coveted good.

She was now a more important personage than ever, she thought; for, knowing Mr. Seymour's dislike to changes, as well as his liberality in money matters, she concluded that he would be most anxious for her to retain her situation, and preside over the domestic arrangements of the establishment; and not only did she expect to be treated with increased respect by the inferior servants, and derive advantages too numerous to mention, from being thus freed from the occasional

supervision which even a nominal mistress may be supposed to exercise, but she also intended to take the first opportunity of representing to Mr. Seymour the additional labour and responsibility of her present position, nothing doubting that, by skilful management (" and who," was her complacent mental query, "who can manage these delicate affairs more judiciously than myself?") she would get him to agree to further her wishes by adding very considerably to the large salary she had hitherto been in the habit of receiving.

Willson's news, therefore, came like a thunder-clap upon her, instantly extinguishing all the hopes and expectations which had been engendered in her ambitious mind, overthrowing her schemes of independence, self-ease, and aggrandisement, and reducing her once more to her own level. She made a laudable attempt to disguise her feelings, but she could not for a time trust herself to speak.

"What do you wish me to do?" she asked, beginning at length, worldly-wise woman as she was, to consider that she had better accept her fate with resignation, instead of rebelling against what she could not help.

"That I leave to your own discretion," replied Willson; "if you can arrange matters so as to keep the house quiet for a while, I should be thankful, as I do not wish Mr. Seymour to know what is going on until the doctor has been here."

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Quite right," assented Mrs. Morby, hastily proceeding with her dressing; it would be cruel to awaken his hopes, unless Dr. Leslie gives us reason to suppose she will really recover.

"Oh! she must," exclaimed Willson, clasping her hands together. "No doubt you are the best judge of that," dryly responded Mrs. Morby; but, as if ashamed of her words, she added the next instant, in a subdued tone," at all events we will hope so."

"I must return to her now," said Willson; " perhaps you will bring the doctor upstairs when he comes, and then you can see her yourself. I should be afraid to run the risk of admitting Juliet; but you are always so calm and collected, that there is no fear of your exciting her." "I trust not, indeed," returned the housekeeper, with a complacent smile. By the bye," she exclaimed, just as Willson was going out at the door, "you are forgetting Browning; how in the world am I to keep him quiet ?"

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"Ah! we must give him strict injunctions," said Willson; and then she stopped and listened.

"Do you hear anything?" demanded Mrs. Morby.

"Yes, I am sure they are coming up the avenue," was the quick response. "Are you ready?"

"All but my cap," replied her companion, seizing it as she spoke, and placing it upon her head. "Now let us go and meet them." Everything appeared calm and beautiful in the grey morning light, as they went and undid the heavy fastenings of one of the outer doors, and looked eagerly across the lawn.

Willson's anxiety to find out whether Browning had succeeded in persuading the doctor to accompany him was intense, until to her great joy she discovered two figures advancing rapidly toward them -Browning having with unusual consideration insisted on leaving the horses a short distance from the house, lest the noise at their arrival should be heard by those within.

The little man was flushed and excited; such an extraordinary