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her, in case her slumbers should be again disturbed.

The next morning saw Lily as bright and happy as ever; but from that day forward her conduct towards Mr. Faversham was characterised by even more dutifulness and affection than before.

She seemed to look upon him as one whom it was her especial privilege to cheer and comfort; and it was sometimes most amusing to mark the various measures she adopted to accomplish this desirable purpose.

Often she would deny herself of a game of play or turn resolutely away from the temptation of listening to one of Mary's fascinating fairy-tales, because she fancied that Mr. Faversham might feel lonely without her; and a deep and pitiful tenderness shone out of her soft blue eyes whenever she approached him; for was not she the only one he had to love, and must she not therefore be kind and attentive to him, and try by every means in her small power to make him happy?

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CHAPTER IX.

"Every day,

A little life, a blank to be inscribed
With gentle deeds, such as in after time

Console, rejoice, whene'er you turn the leaf
To read them."

OWING to the winter having been an unusually severe one, Lily was for a considerable time entirely confined to the house; but, as the spring advanced, the weather suddenly cleared, and she was permitted to take an occasional run on the terrace just in front of the sitting-room windows.

One pleasant morning, however, Mr. Faversham, seeing how wistfully she looked at him as he was putting on his hat in the hall preparatory to going out for his own regular walk, inquired whether she would like to accompany him; and the intense delight with which she responded to his invitation, and danced off to impart the good news to Mary, and ask her to get her

ready as soon as possible, so pleased and gratified the old man that he afterwards made a point of taking her for a short walk every fine day.

The first time they went through the village street together, Mr. Faversham could not fail to observe that Lily was an object of the greatest interest to all with whom they came in contact. The news of her mysterious appearance at the Hall had, of course, rapidly spread from house to house, with sundry embellishments and exaggerations, and created quite a sensation among these simple people, who had been ever since on the qui vive, ready to catch any floating information concerning her, and now gladly hailed the opportunity of beholding one of whom they had heard so much and seen so little.

If Lily had really fallen from the clouds at their very feet they could scarcely have evinced more awe and admiration at her presence. They considered her in the light of some rare curiosity-something to be wondered over and amazed at, rather than fully comprehended; and, while the women

flocked to the doors of their houses to watch the strangely-assorted pair pass, the very children who clung to their skirts seemed quite as eager as themselves to obtain a glimpse of the bright little figure which tripped so gaily along by the side of the stern-looking old man, who had been wont to inspire them with such terror and dislike. "Well, she is a little beauty!" ejaculated a kindly-featured woman, as her eyes rested for a moment upon the fair young face. "Did you ever see such a lovely child?" she whispered with bated breath to a neighbour who stood near her.

"She's well enough in that respect," rejoined the person addressed, in a tone of covert depreciation.

"Isn't it strange where she can have come from?" pursued the first speaker.

"Very," replied her companion, shaking her head with an air of mystery; "it's altogether a most suspicious affair; I only hope no ill may come of it."

"Ill!" repeated the other, with something like indignation in her tone; "nay, neighbour Sharpe, good has come of it already.

Look at the Squire! he's altogether a different man, I hear, from what he was!"

"Well, I wish it may last," was Mrs. Sharpe's discouraging response; "only, you see, one never knows what will happen; and I must confess I don't place much dependence upon such sudden changes."

And, emphasising her words by another vigorous shake of the head, she departed to join a group of more congenial spirits, who would, she had reason to believe, listen to her dismal forebodings with a greater degree of interest.

"It is a thousand pities that she should always take such a gloomy view of things," murmured her late companion, as she gazed thoughtfully after her; "and yet it isn't to be wondered at, poor woman! What can

she know about children? Her life has never been cheered and gladdened by their little, innocent ways; and now she cannot bring herself to believe that the simple influence of a child could possibly have any effect in softening the old man's disposition. I can well understand it, however," she continued, pressing her own infant closer to her

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