she had fainted. After days of greater excitement than she had ever before known, she had travelled all night in a fever of her own raising. She had been too restless to eat breakfast, and then had wandered about nearly all day. She never again thought that she should see James Erskine, and now he was here, and had bidden her come home with him.

There was some reason for it.

CHAPTER XIII.

GEORGY was soon herself again in Mrs. Erskine's little drawing-room. Mr. Erskine was still there, and a maid, who took off her bonnet and brought her some wine.

"Will you rest now?" he said.

"No; I am going: it is so late.” "Where?"

"To Brighton."

"Brighton in general, or some particular place?" he answered, smiling.

"I will tell you;" and then, on making a slight movement, she caught sight of her face in the glass, and laughed faintly.

"Oh! what a figure I am: no wonder people

stared at me."

"It is no wonder. Do not you think me justified in stopping you, Miss Sandon, and taking you anywhere, even to the police-office?"

"I don't know," she said, still surveying herself in astonishment.

"You are much paler than any sheet, and there is nothing alive about you but your eyes."

"I expected to find my aunt in London, and she is at Brighton. I must go to her; but I have lost her direction; " Georgy went on, regardless of his remarks.

"But doesn't she expect you?"

"No; I left Grainthorpe last night: she doesn't know about it."

"Who does?"

"Nobody."

"Miss Sandon, then you mean you away."

ran

"Yes, Mr. Erskine," she answered, rather amused at his curiosity. His quiet manner had calmed her, and her position seemed more natural.

"Why did you not come here, then? my mother would have taken care of you. Why did you not tell her?"

"Thank you, you are very kind,—will you, then, send a note for me, that I may get my aunt's direction? and when I am rested a little I will go."

"I will send a note wherever you please; but won't you have some tea first?"

"Yes, if you like."

"You shall have some, and then you can start for Brighton immediately. You should not have gone away so quickly this morning. I thought that

I should still find you when I came up-stairs again."

"Did you?" (simply)..

"Yes. Why did you not tell my mother all about yourself?"

"I think I should have told her, perhaps, only she was very busy about other things."

"Now, lie down upon the sofa again and rest: you look half dead. You know we are cousins; you can stay here with my mother."

"Thank you; but you see there is my aunt."

going to Brighton When he laughed the subject, and laid He went away, but

"Yes, of course, you are directly you have had tea." about Brighton, she gave up quietly down upon the sofa. when he reached the door, came back, and then smoothed her hair with his hand. "You are not angry with me, are you, for ordering you about so unceremoniously?"

"No," she replied, sadly: her face flushed momentarily, but she did not open her eyes. She still felt that she ought not to be there, and must go quickly. The tea came presently, and then Mrs. Erskine; her son had told her all about Georgy, and she did nothing but reproach herself for the morning's heartlessness, kissed Georgy, and insisted upon her going instantly to bed. It was of no use resisting, for Mrs. Erskine was not easily contradicted.

She had not drunk the tea, so she should have brandy and water.

Georgy remonstrated.

James suggested that if

Miss Sandon did not like it, she had better be left alone. "It was good for her, James knew nothing about sick young ladies, and was not to interfere." Then the two ladies went up-stairs, Mrs. Erskine maintaining "that James would be late for dinner, if he did not dress immediately." "It was not far across the park where he was going, and he shouldn't," was his answer. He came, laughing, half-way up the staircase to inquire "if Miss Sandon would not start for Brighton immediately?"

"Now, do go at once, James," said Mrs. Erskine; and at last he did go. Hearing them talk and laugh, made Georgy feel more at home than any systematic comfort could have done. Mrs. Erskine said that she should not talk; but before she left her, had received a whole account of Georgy's departure from Grainthorpe, and the reasons for it. heartily sympathized with Georgy's behaviour, and wanted to write to Mr. Sandon immediately; taking up the whole affair as heartily as if she herself had been requested to marry Captain Anstruther.

She

Nearly all the next day Georgy lay in bed, in a dreamy passive state of happiness. She could hear the voice of Mrs. Erskine and her son as they talked in the mother's room, and she heard his step on the