Poor little Charlie suffered much, and was in a high fever.  The knocker was tied up, the windows darkened, and all walked about the house with sad and anxious countenances.  Day after day the fever increased, until he grew delirious, and raved in the most distressing manner.  The unfortunate haricot was still on his mind, and he was persecuted by men with strange-shaped heads and carrot eyes.  Sometimes he imagined himself pursued by Caddy, and would cry in the most piteous manner to have her prevented from beating him.  Then his mind strayed off to the marble-ground, where he would play imaginary games, and laugh over his success in such a wild and frightful manner as to draw tears from the eyes of all around him.  He was greatly changed; the bright colour had fled from his cheek; his head had been shaved, and he was thin and wan, and at times they were obliged to watch him, and restrain him from tossing about, to the great peril of his broken arm.

At last his situation became so critical that Dr. Burdett began to entertain but slight hopes of his recovery; and one morning, in the presence of Caddy, hinted as much to Mr. Ellis.

“Oh, doctor, doctor,” exclaimed the distracted girl, “don’t say that! oh, try and save him!  How could I live with the thought that I had killed my brother! oh, I can’t live a day if he dies!  Will God ever forgive me?  Oh, what a wretch I have been!  Oh, do think of something that will help him!  He mustn’t die, you must save him!” and crying passionately, she threw herself on the floor in an agony of grief.  They did their best to pacify her, but all their efforts were in vain, until Mr. Ellis suggested, that since she could not control her feelings, she must be sent to stay with her aunt, as her lamentations and outcries agitated her suffering brother and made his condition worse.  The idea of being excluded from the family circle at such a moment had more effect on Caddy than all previous remonstrances.  She implored to have the sentence suspended for a time at least, that she might try to exert more self-command; and Mr. Ellis, who really pitied her, well knowing that her heart was not in fault, however reprehensible she was in point of temper, consented; and Caddy’s behaviour from that moment proved the sincerity of her promises; and though she could not quite restrain occasional outbursts of senseless lamentation, still, when she felt such fits of despair coming on, she wisely retired to some remote corner of the house, and did not re-appear till she had regained her composure.

The crisis was at length over, and Charlie was pronounced out of danger.  No one was more elated by this announcement than our friend Kinch, who had, in fact, grown quite ashy in his complexion from confinement and grief, and was now thrown by this intelligence into the highest possible spirits.  Charlie, although faint and weak, was able to recognize his friends, and derived great satisfaction from the various devices