I wish to God I could remove that trouble, or that any one here could! I am sure they all would, as willingly as myself." "She is troubled," said Mary; "I know by her manner that there's something distressing on her mind.

Any earthly thing that we could do to relieve her we would; but I asked her, and she wouldn't tell me." It is likely that Mary's kindness, and especially Mave's, so gently, but so sincerely expressed, touched her as they spoke.

She made no reply, however, but approached Mave with a slight smile on her face, her lips compressed, and her eyes, which were fixed and brilliant, floating in something that looked like moisture, and which might as well have been occasioned by the glow of anger as the impulse of a softer emotion, or perhaps--and this might be nearer the truth--as a conflict between the two states of feeling.

For some moments she looked into Mave's very eyes, and after a little, she seemed to regain her composure, and sat down without speaking.

There was a slight pause occasioned by the expectation that she had been about to reply, during which Dalton's eyes were fixed upon her.