Give me a little water.

I feel easy now.

Perhaps, I shall awake in the morning better.' "The pillows were arranged--the draught given; but the sleeper never awoke again.
"Her mysterious communications, which only came by halves to my ears, filled my mind with vague conjectures, and I cannot help thinking, to this hour, that the young heir of Moncton came to an untimely death, and she blamed herself so bitterly for not having me supply his place.
"Stern as my mother had been during her life, her death was a severe blow to us all, especially to Alice and me; as it removed from our humble home an object most dear to us both, the little lady of the manor, to whom we had ever given the endearing name of sister.
"After Margaret left us, how dull did all our pastimes appear.

Alice and I wandered sadly and silently among our old haunts; the song of the birds cheered us no longer; the flowers seemed less fair; the murmur of the willow-crowned brook less musical; the presiding genius of the place had vanished; we felt that we were alone.
"I had now reached my fourteenth year, and Sir Alexander, true to the promise made to his wife, sent me to an excellent school in the city of York.

Here I made such good use of my time, that before three years had elapsed I was second boy in the head class, and had won the respect of the master and ushers.