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of houses. One only idea filled their hearts, and brightened their countenances, while they looked at each other with a smile of delight, saying, "now, at last, we are going to see Frank !"

CHAPTER XVI.

THE ARRIVAL.

What is life? a varied tale,
Deeply moving, quickly told.

WILLIS.

"OH! what a lovely cottage!" exclaimed Laura, in an ecstacy of joy, when they stopped before a beautiful house, with large airy windows down to the ground; walls that seemed one brilliant mass of roses; rich flowery meadows in front, and a bright smooth lawn behind, stretching down to the broad bosom of the Thames, which reflected on its glassy surface innumerable boats, filled with gay groups of merry people. "That is such a place as I have often dreamed of, but never saw before! It seems made for perfect happiness!"

"Yes! how delightful to live here with Frank and uncle David!" added Harry. "We shall be sailing on the water all day !"

The cottage gate was now opened, and Major Graham himself appeared under the porch; but instead of hurrying forward, as he always formerly did, to welcome them after the very shortest separation, he stood gravely and silently at the door, without so much as raising his eyes from the ground; and the paleness of his countenance filled both Harry and Laura with astonishment. They flew to meet

him, making an exclamation of joy; but after embracing them affectionately, he did not utter a word, and led the way with hurried and agitated steps into a sitting room.

"Where is Frank?" exclaimed Harry, looking eagerly round. "Why is he not here? Call him down! Tell him we are come!"

A long pause ensued; and Laura trembled when she looked at her uncle, who was some moments before he could speak, and sat down taking each of them by the hand, with such a look of sorrow and commiseration, that they were filled with alarm.

"My dear Harry and Laura!" said he solemnly, "you have never known grief till now, but if you love me, listen with composure. I have sad news to tell, yet it is of the very greatest consequence that you should bear up with fortitude. Frank is extremely ill; and the joy he felt about your coming, has agitated him so much, that he is worse than you can possibly conceive. It probably depends upon your conduct now, whether he survives this night or not. Frank knows you are here; he is impatient for you to embrace him; he becomes more and more agitated every moment the meeting is delayed; yet if you give way to childish grief, or even to childish joy, upon seeing him again, the Doctors think it may cause his immediate death. You might hear his breathing in any part of this house. He is in the lowest extreme of weakness! It will be a dreadful scene for you both. Tell me, Harry and Laura, can you trust yourselves? Can you, for Frank's own sake, enter his room this moment, as quietly as if you had seen him yesterday, and speak to him with composure?"

Laura felt, on hearing these words, as if the very earth had opened under her feet,—a choking sensation arose in her throat, her colour fled, her limbs shook, her whole countenance became convulsed with anguish,-but making

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a resolute effort, she looked anxiously at Harry, and then said, in a low, almost inaudible voice,

"Uncle David! we are able,-God will strengthen us. I dare not think a moment. The sooner it is done the better. now."

Let us go

Major Graham slowly led the way without speaking, till they reach the bed-room door, where he paused for a moment, while Harry and Laura listened to the gasping sound of Frank struggling for breath.

"Remember you will scarcely know him," whispered he, looking doubtfully at Laura's pallid countenance; "but a single expression of emotion may be fatal. Show your love for Frank now, my dear children. Spare him all agitation, -forget your own feelings for his sake.”

When Harry and Laura entered the room, Frank buried his face in his hands, and leaned them on the table, saying, in convulsive accents, "Go away, Laura !—oh go away just now! I cannot bear it yet!—leave me !—leave me !"

If Laura had been turned into marble at the moment, she could not have seemed more perfectly calm, for her mind was wound up to an almost supernatural effort, and advancing to the place where he sat, without attempting to speak, she took Frank by the hand-Harry did the same; and not a sound was heard for some moments, but the convulsive struggles of Frank himself, while he gasped for breath, and vainly tried to speak, till at length he raised his head and fixed his eyes on Laura, who felt then, for the first time, struck with the dreadful conviction, that this meeting was but a prelude to their immediate and final separation. The pale ashy cheek, the hollow eye, the sharp and altered features, all told a tale of anguish such as she had never before conceived, and a cold tremor passed through her frame, as she stood amazed and bewildered with grief, while the past, the present, and the future seemed all one mighty heap of agony. Still she gazed steadily on Frank, and said nothing,

conscious that the smallest indulgence of emotion would bring forth a torrent which nothing could control, and determined, unless her heart ceased to beat, that he should see nothing to increase his agitation.

At length, in a low, faint, broken voice, Frank was able to speak, and looking with affectionate sympathy at Laura, he said, "Do not think, dear sister, that I always suffer as you see me now. This joy has been too much for me. I shall soon feel easier."

Major Graham observed a livid paleness come over Laura's countenance when she attempted to answer, and seeing it was impossible to sustain the trial a moment longer, he made a pretext to hurry her away. Harry instantly followed, and rushing into a vacant room, he threw himself down in an agony of grief, and wept convulsively, till the very bed shook beneath him. Hours passed on, and Major Graham left them to exhaust their grief in weeping together, but every moment seemed only to increase their agitation, as the conviction became more fearfully certain that Frank was indeed lost to them for ever. This then was the meeting they had so often, and so joyously anticipated! Laura sunk upon her knees beside Harry, and prayers were mingled with their tears, while they asked for consolation, and tried to feel resigned. "Alas!" thought she solemnly, "how truly did grandmama say, 'If the sorrows of this world are called 'light afflictions,' what must be those from which Christ died to save us! It is merciful that we are not forbid to weep, for, oh! who ever lost such a brother ?—the kindest-the best of brothers!-dear, dear Frank! -can nothing be done! Uncle David!" added Laura, clinging to Major Graham, when he, entered the room, "oh! say something to us about Frank getting better,do you think he will? May we have a hope?-one single hope to live upon, that Frank may possibly be spared; do not turn away-do not look so very sad-think how

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