\"trust in that veiled hand, which leadsnone by the path that he would go;and always be for change prepared,

for the world\"s law is ebb and flow.\"

from the arabic.

the next afternoon dr. donaldson came to pay his first visit to mrs.

hale. the mystery that margaret hoped their late habits of intimacy hadbroken through, was resumed. she was excluded from the room, whiledixon was admitted. margaret was not a ready lover, but where sheloved she loved passionately, and with no small degree of jealousy.

she went into her mother\"s bed-room, lust behind the drawing-room,and paced it up and down, while awaiting the doctor\"s ing out.

every now and then she stopped to listen; she fancied she heard a moan.

she clenched her hands tight, and held her breath. she was sure sheheard a moan. then all was still for a few minutes more; and then therewas the moving of chairs, the raised voices, all the little disturbances ofleāve-taking.

when she heard the door open, she went quickly out of the bed-room.

\"my father is from home, dr. donaldson; he has to attend a pupil at thishour. may i trouble you to e into his room down stairs?\"

she saw, and triumphed over all the obstacles which dixon threw in herway; assuming her rightful position as daughter of the house insomething of the spirit of the elder brother, which quelled the oldservant\"s officiousness very effectually. margaret\"s consciousassumption of this unusual dignity of demeanour towards dixon, gāveher an instant\"s amusement in the midst of her anxiety. she knew, fromthe surprised expression on dixon\"s face, how ridiculously grand sheherself must be looking; and the idea carried her down stairs into theroom; it gāve her that length of oblivion from the keen sharpness of therecollection of the actual business in hand. now, that came back, andseemed to take away her breath. it was a moment or two before shecould utter a word.

but she spoke with an air of mand, as she asked:--\"

\"what is the matter with mamma? you will oblige me by telling thesimple truth.\" then, seeing a slight hesitation on the doctor\"s part, sheadded-\"

i am the only child she has--here, i mean. my father is not sufficientlyalarmed, i fear; and, therefore, if there is any serious apprehension, itmust be broken to him gently. i can do this. i can nurse my mother.

pray, speak, sir; to see your face, and not be able to read it, gives me aworse dread than i trust any words of yours will justify.\"

\"my dear young lady, your mother seems to hāve a most attentive andefficient servant, who is more like her friend--\"