Miriam took her place beside Mrs.Marion in the sick chamber, all her sympathies alive, and all her fears awakened; and Edith and her mother gave every attention that their other duties in the household would permit.
Rapidly did the disease, which had fixed itself upon the delicate frame of the child, run its fatal course.

On the fourth day he died in the arms of his almost frantic mother.
Though Mrs.Marion had been only a short time in the house, yet she had already deeply interested the feelings of Mrs.Darlington and her two eldest daughters, who suffered with her in the affliction almost as severely as if they had themselves experienced a bereavement; and this added to the weight, already painfully oppressive, that rested upon them.
The nearer contact into which the family of Mrs.Darlington and the bereaved mother were brought by this affliction, discovered to the former many things that strengthened the repugnance first felt towards Mr.Marion, and awakened still livelier sympathies for his suffering wife.
One evening, a week after the body of the child was borne out by the mourners and laid to moulder in its kindred dust, the voice of Mr.
Marion was heard in loud, angry tones.

He was alone with his wife in their chamber.

This chamber was next to hat of Edith and Miriam, where they, at the time, happened to be.

What he said they could not make out; but they distinctly heard the voice of Mrs.Marion, and the words-- "Oh, Henry! don't! don't!" uttered in tones the most agonizing.