THE DISCOVERY OF THE VICTIM.—See Number 18.
Her health had been very precarious for several weeks, and the anxious young husband was troubled exceedingly for her safety.
For the doctors in attendance in consultation looked very serious and gloomy, and held out but little hope of her recovery.
Dame Worthington and Mistress Haylark were almost in constant attendance both day and night.
But the latter was so much given to long naps in her arm-chair, and so fretful during her occasional attendance, that Dame Worthington thought it advisable to stay up at night herself, now that she had somewhat recovered from the poison Sir Andrew had given her.
Instead of frightening the poor girl with stories and hobgoblin notions regarding her particularly critical position, the good, kind, old lady cheered her with all the funny anecdotes she could remember, and often made her laugh heartily and forget all about her sickness.
Oftentimes when Clara was asleep, this ever-watchful old lady would lean across the bed and kiss her, and then turn away with tears in her eyes.
Night after night she watched beside the poor suffering girl, and her delicate patient could not disturb a single curl upon her pillow without she arose, readjusted the bed-clothes and dampened her fevered brow.