And I _must_ tell her." Lucia came back softly into the room, and to the bedside; looking, with her newly awakened fears, at her mother's face, she saw plainly how worn it was; it seemed, in truth, to have grown years older in the last few weeks.

A pang of remorse shot through her heart; she stooped and kissed her with unusual tenderness, and then turned away to hide the tears which self-reproach had brought to her eyes.

Mrs.Costello caught her hand, and smiling, asked what news Maurice had brought?
"None, mamma.

He came to ask about you." "But had he nothing to tell you about the Scotts ?" "I forgot to ask him, and I believe he forgot to tell me." "You must have been very much interested to forget such an event as a party the moment it was over." "We were only talking about you.

Maurice says you have been looking ill." "Maurice is a foolish boy.