The stranger, who entered unannounced, stood a moment entranced with pleasure, then snatched the boy, and held him in a close embrace, till a loud cry, indicating alike health and anger, compelled him to restore his prize, and the question of "where is his mother, my dear sister?" recalled poor Miss Granard a little to herself.
"My sister has been ill, and is still delicate; the good news she is anxiously waiting for had better be told to her by me; she is nearly well, I can assure you, but is left weak and nervous, though the fever is quite gone."
Glentworth seemed astonished into silence and trouble; but Lord Allerton, attentively opening the door, followed Mary with his eyes admiringly, and, thanking her for the kind smile she had honoured him with, in his heart wondered where his eyes had been when he had forsaken her to "prey on garbage." She was soon followed by Glentworth, who stepped slowly and anxiously towards the dressing-room, and, ere he reached it, heard, with a delight the wayworn traveller and anxious husband alone can know, Isabella's cry of joy, her voice of thanksgiving to God on his behalf, and in another minute his pale but lovely wife was in his arms.
When the first joyful feelings of the moment had subsided, Isabella took an earnest survey of that which she undoubtedly considered to be her best
