you, Harold--and I love you dearly--were in the foremost rank."

"Where I will strive to be, should my country call upon me. But Heaven
forbid that we should meet thus, Beverly!"

"Heaven forbid?" he replied, with a sigh, as he pressed Harold's hand.
"But yonder comes little Phil, running like mad, to tell us, doubtless,
that breakfast is cold with waiting for us."

They retraced their steps, and found Miss Randolph and Oriana awaiting
their presence at the breakfast-table.




CHAPTER VIII.


During the four succeeding days, the house hold at Riverside manor were
much alarmed for Arthur's safety, for a violent fever had ensued, and,
to judge from the physician's evasive answers, the event was doubtful.
The family were unremitting in their attentions, and Oriana, quietly,
but with her characteristic self-will, insisted upon fulfilling her
share of the duties of a nurse. And no hand more gently smoothed the
sick man's pillow or administered more tenderly the cooling draught. It
seemed that Arthur's sleep was calmer when her form was bending over
him, and even when his thoughts were wandering and his eyes were
restless with delirium, they turned to welcome her as she took her
accustomed seat. Once, while she watched there alone in the twilight,
the open book unheeded in her hand, and her subdued eyes bent