WHEN THE MIND'S FREE.

He repeated the inquiry for Mr. Clyde.

341

'Of course he's home,' said Mrs. Hopper; 'most folks is, this time o' night and weather. Who shall I say wants

him?'

'Don't say anything to anybody till we have a fire,' said the other stranger. "It's a cold world in every office

but thine, good Curtis, therefore fire."

Mrs. Hopper gave him a look which certainly implied that her name was not Curtis, but she set down the candle, and applied such stimulants and remedies to the fire that in a few minutes it blazed to the chimney-top.

were.

'Ah! that's worth while,' said the last speaker, drawing near the fire and spreading himself out before it, to dry as it 'Friend Henry-"when the mind's free the body's delicate," "the tempest in thy mind doth surely from thy senses take all feeling else, save what beats there!" Art thou insensible to fire as well as to water?- a salamander

as well as a merman?'

His companion came forward at this remark, but as if the fire were matter of very second-rate importance; and the flickering light which played upon his face awoke no gleam of recognition and enjoyment.

"You want Mr. Clyde woke up then?' said Mrs. Hopper. 'Not on guard-soliloquised the older man. 'No, don't wake him if he's asleep-which I know he isn't. Give us two shakedowns here on the floor, and no more about it till morning.'

'Likeliest shakedowns you'll get in this house'll be your two selves,' said Mrs. Hopper. There's the floor, but where the beds are I don't know. "Taint particularly hard, for a floor, I have heard them say as have tried it.'

'Hum-don't think I'll qualify myself for an indorsement,' said her questioner. And so Mr. Clyde is asleep. And how's his sister?'

'Little to boast of, except her good looks,' said Mrs. Hopper. They stick by her yet.'

6

Is she no better?' said the other stranger, turning round.

'Can't be much better'n she is, to my thinking,' said Mrs. Hopper. 'The fever's strong yet, and she isn't—if that's what you mean. Come to, I believe they did have some hopes of her to-day, though.'

Wake Mr. Clyde at once, will you my good lady?' said the older man in a different tone; drawing forth his snuffbox the while, and taking an immense pinch, as he roused himself up into an attitude of more business and less enjoy'And harkye, don't let the grass grow under your

ment.

feet; it's too late in the season for that.'

And for a moment the two stood alone in the light blaze of the fire. But Thornton was not asleep, and came down instantly. The greeting was silently earnest.

The doctor then had recourse to his snuff-box, but the two younger men stood with hands yet clasped.

'I must see her at once,' said the doctor, laying his hand upon Thornton's shoulder. 'Come, leave him to take care

of himself always does.'

And as with quiet steps they left the room, Mrs. Hopper returned, and advanced to mend the fire and improve its light as a medium of observation. But for such an object the medium mattered little. Mr. Raynor was impenetrable. Standing there with one shoulder braced against the tall wooden mantelpiece, he had watched the two gentlemen as they quitted the room; and when the door alone met his gaze in that direction he still looked, as if his thought had gone further and the eye but tarried where it must. There was nothing to be read in that look, however, or if there were, it was writ in a language unknown to Mrs. Hopper; and he answered all her questions, and refused all offers of

HAPPY NOT QUITE WELL.

343

supper, with such clearness and self-possession, that she could not suppose him to be 'taking an abstraction' of any thing. She left him to his thoughts at length, and with them he held deep discourse; with but the rain and the rising wind for a refrain.

Meanwhile Thornton had prepared Rosalie for the sight of her kind physician and friend; and the doctor walked in and took his seat at her bedside, forbidding her to speak by a peremptory motion of his finger.

!

'Now why couldn't you get sick in town, like a Christian?' said Doctor Buffem, as he took Rosalie's hand in his, and examined her countenance with his practised eyes. 'Sending for me into the backwoods at this time of year it's unendurable. Yes, it was very good of me to come, and all that sort of thing; of course it was. And you didn't send for me; certainly not. I'll tell you what, my young lady, there aren't many people could play the magnet with me this fashion. This was such a desired and pet job of mine, and one of my assistants was so very pressing — pet of his too. Couldn't well refuse to come when he offered to show me the way. Hum eyes haven't lost much of their brightness. Just put that light a little more out of sight, Mr. Clyde. Now how do you feel yourself, Miss Rosalie ?— well and happy?

'Happy, sir-not quite well.'

Cart before the horse,' said the doctor,-"no right to feel happy.'

'Not much right,' said Rosalie, with a little smile. That is true.'

'Just as bad as ever, I see,' said Doctor Buffem. 'Won't own it, neither.'

He made some further inquiries, left with Miss Arnet both directions and medicine, and taking Thornton's arm walked across the hall into his room. There the doctor

sat down and took snuff as usual. Thornton waited in silence.

'The most thing I'm anxious about is myself,' was the doctor's first remark. 'I don't know how you are off for sleep, Mr. Clyde, but I've had none these three nights. Never saw such a power-press as that man is, in my life! Can't form half an opinion upon unsatisfied organs of sleep; therefore if you will permit me at once to retire to this bed, I will with pleasure resign to you my half of the kitchen fire.'

'How can

"You think Rosalie is better?' said Thornton. 'Don't know how she was,' said the doctor. I tell whether she's better? Keep yourself quiet, and don't fret her, above all things. And just tell Mr. Raynor that he needn't come waking me up every half hour to go and see how she is,-I'll wake up myself and no thanks to him.'

And silently Thornton went down stairs. He met Mr. Raynor's look, and repeated the doctor's precise words by way of answer. And then laying one arm on his friend's shoulder, he rested his head there, with the look and action of a weary mind and body laying off their own fatigue upon some one else. Neither spoke, until a half hour had passed; and then Mr. Raynor insisted that Thornton should have in the couch from the next room, and upon that take some more substantial repose. But he himself went back to his old stand at the fireplace.

NEITHER LIGHT NOR YET DARKNESS.

345

CHAPTER XXXVII.

Phe. Thou hast my love; Is not that neighbourly?
Sil. I would have you.-As You Like It.

BEFORE morning, or rather before morning light, the weather changed. In place of the falling rain there was now only a gentle drip from the eaves, and the wind had risen, and blew in soft and freshening gusts around the house. Cocks were trying their voices, and a dim perception that was neither light nor yet darkness, stole in through the kitchen windows. Within doors there was no change, no stir. Thornton slept heavily upon his hard couch, and not the footfall of a mouse broke the silence overhead.

Mr. Raynor felt weary with the close, still air of the house-nothing doing, nothing to be done; but he did not move, unwilling to lose the first word of tidings that might come. It seemed to him as if till it came he must stand where he was. And yet in one moment after this feeling had crossed his mind he walked to the door, softly drew back the great bolt and passed out. And Trouncer roused up to follow him.

It was beautiful out of doors, even in that darkling light. The wind waved the leafless branches in a shadowy, fitful fashion, and blew away the clouds as fast as the northwest could gather them up. Overhead they came flying, a perfect rabble of clouds; and in every clear space between them, the stars shewed their bright eyes and winked at the fact that it was near sunrise. Wet, wet, everything was: