passionate look--that told me this, but it was a look that betrayed
the secret of a life. From that moment I never again trusted Augusta
Darrell.

With the beginning of autumn the weather changed, and there came a
dull rainy season. Trouble came to us with the change of the
weather. There was a good deal of low fever about Thornleigh, and
Milly caught it. She had never neglected her visit amongst the poor,
even in favour of those pleasant engagements with Angus Egerton; and
there is no doubt she had taken the fever from some of the
cottagers.

She was not alarmingly ill, nor was the fever supposed to be
contagious, except under certain conditions. Mr. Hale, the
Thornleigh doctor, made very light of the business, and assured us
that his patient would be as well as ever in a week's time. But in
the mean while my dear girl kept her room, and I nursed her, with
the assistance of her devoted little maid.

Mr. Egerton came every day, generally twice a day, to inquire about
the invalid's progress, and would stay for half an hour, or longer,
talking to Mrs. Darrell or to me. He was very much depressed by this
illness, and impatient for his betrothed's recovery. He had been
strictly forbidden to see her, as perfect repose was an essential
condition to her well-being.

The week was nearly over, and Milly had improved considerably. She
was now able to sit up for an hour or two every day, and the doctor
promised Mr. Egerton that she should be in the drawing-room early in
the following week. The weather had been incessantly wet during this