I pronounced his name，offering him at the same time my hand: he took it，smiling and saying，"We shall do very well by and by." Then he laid me down，and addressing Bessie，charged her to be very careful that I was not disturbed during the night. Having given some further directions，and intimated that he should call again the next day，he departed; to my grief: I felt so sheltered and befriended while he sat in the chair near my pillow; and as he closed the door after him，all the room darkened and my heart again sank: inexpressible sadness weighed it down.

"Do you feel as if you should sleep，Miss?" asked Bessie，rather softly.

Scarcely dared I answer her; for I feared the next sentence might be rough. "I will try."

"Would you like to drink，or could you eat anything?"

"No，thank you，Bessie."

"Then I think I shall go to bed，for it is past twelve o"clock; but you may call me if you want anything in the night." Wonderful civility this! It emboldened me to ask a question.

"Bessie，what is the matter with me? Am I ill?"

"You fell sick，I suppose，in the red-room with crying; you"ll be better soon，no doubt."

Bessie went into the housemaid"s apartment，which was near. I heard her say-

"Sarah，e and sleep with me in the nursery; I daren"t for my life be alone with that poor child tonight: she might die; it"s such a strange thing she should have that fit: I wonder if she saw anything. Missis was rather too hard."

Sarah came back with her; they both went to bed; they were whispering together for half an hour before they fell asleep. I caught scraps of their conversation，from which I was able only too distinctly to infer the main subject discussed.