felt　that　he　had　rather　have　her；　such　as　she　was；　than　anybody　else；
  and；　together；　they　sat　down；　and　talked　of　what　was　to　be　done；　and
  what　was　best　for　Meta；　and　of　the　solemnity　of　being　in　the　house　of
  death。　　Ethel　felt　and　showed　it　so　much；　in　her　subdued；　awe…struck
  manner；　that　her　father　felt　checked　whenever　he　was　about　to　return
  to　his　ordinary　manner；　familiarised；　as　he　necessarily　was；　with　the
  like　scenes。　　It　drew　him　back　to　the　thought　of　their　own　trouble；
  and　their　conversation　recurred　to　those　days；　so　that　each　gained　a
  more　full　understanding　of　the　other；　and　they　at　length　separated；
  certainly　with　the　more　peaceful　and　soft　feelings　for　being　in　the
  abode　of　mourning。
  Bellairs　promised　to　call　Ethel；　to　be　with　her　young　lady　as　early
  as　might　be；　reporting　that　she　was　sound　asleep。　　And　sleep
  continued　to　shield　her　till　past　her　usual　hour；　so　that　Ethel　was
  up；　and　had　been　with　Dr。　May；　before　she　was　summoned　to　her；　and
  then　she　found　her　half　dressed；　and　hastening　that　she　might　not
  make　Dr。　May　late　for　breakfast；　and　in　going　to　his　patients。　　There
  was　an　elasticity　in　the　happily　constituted　young　mind　that　could
  not　be　entirely　struck　down；　nor　deprived　of　power　of　taking　thought
  for　others。　　Yet　her　eyes　looked　wandering；　and　unlike　themselves；
  and　her　words；　now　and　then；　faltered；　as　if　she　was　not　sure　what
  she　was　doing　or　saying。　　Ethel　told　her　not　to　mindDr。　Spencer
  would　take　care　of　the　patients；　but　she　did　not　seem　to　recollect；
  at　first；　who　Dr。　Spencer　was；　nor　to　care　for　being　reminded。
  Breakfast　was　laid　out　in　the　little　sitting…room。　　Ethel　wanted　to
  take　the　trouble　off　her　hands；　but　she　would　not　let　her。　　She　sat
  behind　her　urn；　and　asked　about　tea　or　coffee；　quite　accurately；　in　a
  low；　subdued　voice；　that　nearly　overcame　Dr。　May。　　When　the　meal　was
  over；　and　she　had　rung　the　bell；　and　risen　up；　as　if　to　her　daily
  work；　she　turned　round；　with　that　piteous；　perplexed　air；　and　stood
  for　a　moment；　as　if　confused。
  〃Cannot　we　help　you？〃　said　Ethel。
  〃I　don't　know。　　Thank　you。　　But；　Dr。　May；　I　must　not　keep　you　from
  other　people〃
  〃I　have　no　one　to　go　to　this　morning；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃I　am　ready　to
  stay　with　you；　my　dear。〃
  Meta　came　closer　to　him；　and　murmured；　〃Thank　you！〃
  The　breakfast　things　had；　by　this　time；　been　taken　away；　and　Meta；
  looking　to　see　that　the　door　had　shut　for　the　last　time；　said；　in　a
  low　voice；　〃Now　tell　me〃
  Dr。　May　drew　her　down　to　sit　on　the　sofa　beside　him；　and；　in　his
  soft；　sweet　voice；　told　her　all　that　she　wished　to　learn　of　her
  father's　last　hours；　and　was　glad　to　see　showers　of　quiet；　wholesome
  tears　drop　freely　down；　but　without　violence；　and　she　scarcely
  attempted　to　speak。　　There　was　a　pause　at　the　end；　and　then　she　said
  gently；　〃Thank　you；　for　it　all。　　Dear　papa！〃　　And　she　rose　up；　and
  went　back　to　her　room。
  〃She　has　learned　to　dwell　apart；〃　said　Dr。　May；　much　moved。
  〃How　beautiful　she　bears　up！〃　said　Ethel。
  〃It　has　been　a　life　which；　as　she　has　used　it；　has　taught　her
  strength　and　self…dependence　in　the　midst　of　prosperity。〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　Ethel；　〃she　has　trained　herself　by　her　dread　of　self…
  indulgence；　and　seeking　after　work。　　But　oh！　what　a　break　up　it　is
  for　her！　　I　cannot　think　how　she　holds　up。　　Shall　I　go　to　her？〃
  〃I　think　not。　　She　knows　the　way　to　the　only　Comforter。　　I　am　not
  afraid　of　her　after　those　blessed　tears。〃
  Dr。　May　was　right；　Meta　presently　returned　to　them；　in　the　same
  gentle　subdued　sadness；　enfolding　her；　indeed；　as　a　flower　weighed
  down　by　mist；　but　not　crushing　nor　taking　away　her　powers。　　It　was　as
  if　she　were　truly　upheld；　and　thankful　to　her　friends　as　she　was；　she
  did　not　throw　herself　on　them　in　utter　dependence　or　self…
  abandonment。
  She　wrote　needful　letters；　shedding　many　tears　over　them；　and　often
  obliged　to　leave　off　to　give　the　blinding　weeping　its　course；　but
  refusing　to　impose　any　unnecessary　task　upon　Dr。　May's　lame　arm。　　All
  that　was　right；　she　strove　to　do；　she　saw　Mr。　Charles　Wilmot；　and　was
  refreshed　by　his　reading　to　her；　and　when　Dr。　May　desired　it；　she
  submissively　put　on　her　bonnet；　and　took　several　turns　with　Ethel　in
  the　shrubbery；　though　it　made　her　cry　heartily　to　look　into　the
  downstairs　rooms。　　And　she　lay　on　the　sofa　at　last；　owning　herself
  strangely　tired；　she　did　not　know　why；　and　glad　that　Ethel　should
  read　to　her。　　By　and　by；　she　went　to　dress　for　the　evening；　and　came
  back；　full　of　the　tidings　that　one　of　the　children　in　the　village　had
  been　badly　burned。　　It　occupied　her　very　muchshe　made　Ethel　promise
  to　go　and　see　about　her　to…morrow；　and　sent　Bellairs　at　once　with
  every　comfort　that　she　could　devise。
  On　the　whole；　those　two　days　were　to　Ethel　a　peaceful　and　comfortable
  time。　　She　saw　more　than　usual　of　her　father；　and　had　such
  conversations　with　him　as　were　seldom　practicable　at　home；　and　that
  chimed　in　with　the　unavowed　care　which　hung　on　their　minds；　while
  Meta　was　a　most　sweet　and　loving　charge；　without　being　a　burden；　and
  often　saying　such　beautiful　things　in　her　affectionate　resignation；
  that　Ethel　could　only　admire　and　lay　them　up　in　her　mind。　　Dr。　May
  went　backwards　and　forwards；　and　brought　good　accounts　of　Margaret
  and　fond　messages；　he　slept　at　the　Grange　each　night；　and　Meta　used
  to　sit　in　the　corner　of　the　sofa　and　work；　or　not；　as　best　suited
  her；　while　she　listened　to　his　talk　with　Ethel；　and　now　and　then
  herself　joined。
  George　Rivers's　absence　was　a　serious　inconvenience　in　all
  arrangements；　but　his　sister　dreaded　his　grief　as　much　as　she　wished
  for　his　return；　and　often　were　the　posts　and　the　journeys　reckoned
  over；　without　a　satisfactory　conclusion；　as　to　when　he　could　arrive
  from　so　remote　a　part　of　Scotland。
  At　last；　as　the　two　girls　had　finished　their　early　dinner；　the　butler
  brought　in　word　that　Mr。　Norman　May　was　there。　　Meta　at　once　begged
  that　he　would　come　in；　and　Ethel　went　into　the　hall　to　meet　him。　　He
  looked　very　wan；　with　the　dark　rings　round　his　eyes　a　deeper　purple
  than　ever；　and　he　could　hardly　find　utterance　to　ask；　〃How　is　she？〃
  〃As　good　and　sweet　as　she　can　be；〃　said　Ethel　warmly；　but　no　more；
  for　Meta　herself　had　come　to　the　dining…room　door；　and　was　holding
  out　her　hand。　　Norman　took　it　in　both　his；　but　could　not　speak；
  Meta's　own　soft　voice　was　the　first。　　〃I　thought　you　would　comehe
  was　so　fond　of　you。〃
  Poor　Norman　quite　gave　way；　and　Meta　was　the　one　to　speak　gentle
  words　of　soothing。　　〃There　is　so　much　to　be　thankful　for；〃　she　said。
  〃He　has　been　spared　so　much　of　the　suffering　Dr。　May　feared　for　him；
  and　he　was　so　happy　about　George。〃
  Norman　made　a　great　effort　to　recover　himself。　　Ethel　asked　for　Flora
  and　George。　　It　appeared　that　they　had　been　on　an　excursion　when　the
  first　letter　arrived　at　Glenbracken；　and　thus　had　received　both
  together　in　the　evening；　on　their　return。　　George　had　been　greatly
  overcome；　and　they　had　wished　to　set　off　instantly；　but　Lady
  Glenbracken　would　not　hear　of　Flora's　travelling　night　and　day；　and
  it　had　at　length　been　arranged　that　Norman　Ogilvie　should　drive
  Norman　across　the　country　that　evening；　to　catch　the　mail　for
  Edinburgh；　and　he　had　been　on　the　road　ever　since。　　George　was
  following　with　his　wife　more　slowly；　and　would　be　at　home　to…morrow
  evening。　　Meantime；　he　sent　full　authority　to　his　father…in…law　to
  make　arrangements。
  Ethel　went　to　see　the　burned　child；　leaving　Meta　to　take　her　walk　in
  the　garden　under　Norman's　charge。　　He　waited　on　her　with　a　sort　of
  distant　reverence　for　a　form　of　grief；　so　unlike　what　he　had　dreaded
  for　her；　when　the　first　shock　of　the　tidings　had　brought　back　to　him
  the　shattered　bewildered　feelings　to　which　he　dared　not　recur。
  To　dwell　on　the　details　was；　to　her；　a　comfort；　knowing　his　sympathy
  and　the　affection　there　had　been　between　him　and　her　father；　nor　had
  they　parted　in　such　absolute　brightness；　as　to　make　them　unprepared
  for　such　a　meeting　as　the　present。　　The　cloud　of　suspense　was
  brooding　lower　and　lower　over　the　May　family；　and　the　need　of　faith
  and　submission　was　as　great　with　them　as　with　the　young　orphan
  herself。　　Norman　said　little；　but　that　little　was　so　deep　and
  fervent；　that　after　a　time　Meta　could　not　help　saying；　when　Ethel　was
  seen　in　the　distance；　and　their　talk　was　nearly　over；　〃Oh；　Norman；
  these　things　are　no　mirage！〃
  〃It　is　the　world　that　is　the　mirage；〃　he　answered。　　Ethel　came　up；
  and　Dr。　May　also；　in　good　time　for　the　post。　　He　was　obliged　to
  become　very　busy；　using　Norman　for　his　secretary；　till　he　saw　his
  son's　eyes　so　heavy；　that　he　remembered　the　two　nights　that　he　had
  been　up；　and　ordered　him　to　go　home　and　go　to　bed　as　soon　as　tea　was
  over。
  〃May　I　come　back　to…morrow？〃
  〃WhyyesI　think　you　may。　　No；　no；〃　he　added；　recollecting　himself；
  〃I　think　you　had　better　not；〃　and　he　did　not　relent；　though　Norman
  looked　disappointed。
  Meta　had　already　expressed　her　belief　that　her　father　would　be　buried
  at　the　suburban　church；　where　lay　her　mother；　and　Dr。　May；　having
  been　desired　to　seek　out　the　will　and　open　it；　found　it　was　so；　and
  fixed　the　day　and　hour　with　Meta；　who　was　as　submissive　and
  reasonable　as　possible；　though　much　grieved　that　he　thought　she　could