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Mr. Grant received Oliver with distinguished consideration; and as for Lucy, poor girl! she was wild with delight. Oliver looked at her in painful surprise. She had grown taller in the months which had elapsed, but was so slender and so pale! Her beautiful blue eyes seemed larger than ever, but every dimple was gone from her cheeks. Her smile was sweeter than before, but it told of languor and sickness at heart. He was greatly shocked at the change, and Mr. Grant saw it.

So soon as Lucy had left them for the night, Mr. Grant addressed Oliver: "You see, my friend, Lucy is sinking rapidly in her health. I feel assured she will die of the desolation of this house. I have made attempts to make her happy with me, but I have failed. My house, in spite of all I have done, is to Lucy a dungeon. I have no capacity to bring young society about me, and I have desired Lucy should be first fitted to grace the circles into which she shall be hereafter introduced. To be frank with you, Mr. Outright, I have feared, from the truthfulness of Lucy, that she would, in all the frankness of her nature, tell the story of her sufferings, and of her mother's poverty and death. I have not dared to trust Lucy to the ordeal, for there is so great curiosity manifested in this city concerning her that I have feared for her and for myself. Her life has been, of necessity, therefore, one of solitude, with me only for a companion. Do you wonder the poor child has faded away under such a discipline as this? I have hoped she would reach the age when she would be brought out into society, and then I purposed all that wealth could command for her enjoyment should be hers. But I am satisfied I must consent to a temporary separation, and I am glad, most grateful to you, sir, for coming with the earnest

invitation of your lady, and her dear cousins, to take Lucy home with you. It is the surest method left for the restoration of her health."

"We will do all we can, my dear sir," said Oliver," and I have no doubt that she will soon become herself again."

"I thank you, sir, for this assurance. It is my warmest hope that it is soon to be realized. Nothing lies so near my heart as Lucy's happiness. It is all I live for. All I now labor for is to secure the highest happiness to my sweet child.”

It was a pet foible with Mr. Grant to make a free use of fine phrases. They cost him nothing, and he made the mistake to believe that they were "current as old gold." Such men are read like an open book, even by the most simple, by children, They deceive no one but themselves.

even.

Lucy's trunks were soon packed, and, with many kisses and endearments on the part of her father, and promises to write her daily, Lucy and Oliver took their seats in the carriage. The only tears shed on the occasion were by a young Irish girl who had attended upon Lucy, who with difficulty could be induced to part with her young mistress. Oliver, seeing the scene, told the girl to run in for her bonnet and shawl, and she should go with them. The girl, delighted, sprang up the steps into the house, and came shawled, with her bonnet in her hand, and was seated on the front seat before Mr. Grant had time to reflect on the expediency of such an increase of Lucy's expenses. Nor did Oliver allow any time for second thoughts; but, bowing, ordered the coachman to drive on to the station-house.

On reaching Sterling, they found Alandresso and his close carriage waiting for them. Giving the tickets for the baggage to a

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coachman, Oliver, and Lucy, and Malvina, the Irish girl, were soon on their way up-town to their happy home. Here, on the steps, Lucy was met by Annie and Gertrude, who almost suffocated her with kisses. And Frank, seeing her so feeble, took her up in his arms, and ran up stairs with her into the nursery ; for the first question asked by Lucy, on entering the hall, was, "Where are the babies?”

Lucy's delight in being once more with our pilgrims was beautiful to witness. And such babies! "O, it was too sweet," she said, "to kiss them, and tend them!" and she did this for hours together. Nothing was needed now but a renewal of strength, and her happiness would be as complete as her nature was capable of.

It was pleasant to see Lucy's appetite improve, the hue of her cheeks becoming more and more healthful, less of pallor and hectic; but, then, she was soon weary, and it was evident that all Oliver's skill and the attentions of our pilgrims would be required for her restoration.

Mr. Grant came up, the next fortnight, to spend a day with them, and to share Lucy's society. He spoke of his desolate home, now more desolate than ever before. But, somehow, our ladies thought he was better pleased to be alone than to live in the presence of his child. They were very watchful observers, and they came to the belief that Mr. Grant was waking up to the certainty that he had lived for years under a mistake concerning himself.

When deprived of his wife's presence, and made miserable by his ostracism from society, he thought that all his annoyances were owing to her estrangement. When Lucy was restored to

him he was still unsatisfied; but it was because she was a child, unfitted for her position at his table. An idea all his own; for Lucy was eminently graceful. He chose to believe that all his infelicity was from without. He did not care to scrutinize very closely, or he would have seen in his present isolation that he was reaping the harvest he had sown in his youth; that the selfishness of his nature was bringing forth its necessary fruits.

As for Lucy, she now began a new life; and the only periods of depression were those when her father came. His presence seemed to sit heavy on her soul. He was apt to ask questions as to her studies, which, poor girl, it was utterly out of her power to answer satisfactorily to him; for Oliver had forbade her prosecuting any studies whatever.

Now, Mr. Grant knew this from Oliver; he knew it, too, from Doctor Hall, the most eminent physician in Sterling, whose services had been called in by Oliver the very week Lucy had reached her home. At the request of Gertrude, that there might be no misunderstanding, he had written to Mr. Grant, and stated that all mental application would be best suspended until Lucy should show a renewal of her strength and vigor. Till then, Lucy was best occupied in anything her fancy suggested, which, while it was employment, was not study. In spite of all this, Mr. Grant never failed to ask, or allude, apparently without design, or by inadvertence, to her progress in her studies. In some way or other he always distressed Lucy by showing himself dissatisfied with what she did or said; and she was always gayer and happier when he left than when he came.

But there was not much to complain of; for, as winter drew on, her father never came, and his letters were brief, and ex

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tremely commonplace, though full of tender expressions of love for" dear Lucy," and grateful assurances of his thanks to his dear friends, the Truemans and Outrights.

At last, our pilgrims, with one consent, banished all recollections of the existence of Mr. Grant, who was never mentioned but when absolutely necessary. Lucy's monthly remittances had been ample at first; but these, too, ceased. She never knew of this; for, as they had been made to Frank on the first day of the month, her purse was replenished to its utmost capacity; and the young girl was happy in the ability she was possessed of to contribute to the relief of the poor, and make gifts to her attendants.

CHAPTER LIII

THE DECLINE OF LUCY.

LUCY's health was, for a few weeks, greatly improved; and during the beautiful days of autumn she seemed to have taken a new lease of life. Oliver was especially delighted, inasmuch as she was, in some sort, under his medical treatment, he always concurring with the views of his personal friend, Doctor Hall, which wisely looked to Hygeia, rather than Therapeutics, for success. If Oliver was physician in ordinary, Annie assumed the responsible position of apothecary-general, while she shared the duties of nurse with Gertrude; neither of whom, though they had great confidence in Doctor Hall's skill as a doctor, had much faith in doctors' stuff.