Once on that day James was visibly startled from his heavy, stern mood of compressed, indignant sorrow.  It was as he advanced to the entrance of the vault, and his eye was struck by a new and very handsome tablet on the wall.  It was to the father, mother, and young brother and sisters, whose graves had been hastily made far away in the time of the pestilence, the only Dynevors who did not lie in the tombs of their fathers.  For one moment James moved nearer to his uncle.  Could he have spoken then, what might not have followed? but it was impossible, and the impulse passed away.

But he was kind when he hurried upstairs for a last embrace to Clara.  He still felt fondly, brotherly, and compassionate; and all the more, because she had proved more weak against temptation than he had expected.  His farewell was, ’Good-bye, my poor Clara, God bless you.’

‘Oh, thank you!’ cried Clara, from the bottom of her heart.  ’You forgive me, James?’

’I forgive; I am sorry for you, my poor child.  Mind, Dynevor Terrace is still your home, if you do not find the happiness you expect in your chosen lot.’

‘Happiness!’ but he had no time to hear.  He was gone, while she sobbed out her message of love for Isabel, and Louis ran up, pale with repressed suffering, and speaking with difficulty, as he wrung her hand, and murmured, ‘Oh, Clara! may we but abide patiently.’

After his good-bye, he turned back again to say, ’I’m selfish; but let me put you in mind not to let the Lima correspondence drop.’

‘Oh, no, no; you know I won’t.’

’Thank you!  And let me leave you Mary’s keynote of comfort, ’Commit thy way unto the Lord, and He will bring it to pass.’’

‘Thank you,’ said Clara, in her turn, and she was left alone.

CHAPTER XII.

THE FKOST HOUSEHOLD.

The wind of late breathed gently forth,
Now shifted east, and east by north,
Bare trees and shrubs but ill, you know,
Could shelter them from rain or snow,
Stepping into their nests they paddled,
Themselves were chilled, their eggs were addled,
Soon every father bird and mother
Grew quarrelsome, and pecked each other. 

                                            Pairing Time Anticipated-Cowper.

Three weeks longer did the session drag on, but on the joyful day when release was given, Lord Ormersfield was surprised to find Mr. Dynevor’s card upon his table, with an address at Farrance’s hotel.

Louis alone was at leisure to repair thither.  He found Clara alone, looking as if her grief were still very fresh, and, though striving to speak gaily, the tears very near the surface.

‘We are going abroad,’ she said; ’Uncle Oliver thinks it a part of my education, and declares he will not have me behind the Miss Brittons.  We are bound straight for Switzerland.’