followed by extreme debility. It was clear that for days, perhaps even
weeks to come, the vagrant must remain a prisoner under Darrell's roof-
tree.

Lionel had been too mindful of Sophy's anxiety to neglect writing to Lady
Montfort the day after Waife's seizure. But he could not find the heart
to state the old man's danger; and with the sanguine tendencies of his
young nature, even when at the worst he clung to belief in the best. He
refrained from any separate and private communication of Waife's state to
Lady Montfort, lest the sadness it would not fail to occasion her should
be perceptible to Sophy, and lead her to divine the cause. So he
contented himself with saying that Waife had accompanied him to Mr.
Darrell's, and would be detained there, treated with all kindness and
honour, for some days.

Sophy's mind was relieved by this intelligence, but it filled her with
wonder and conjecture. That Waife, who had so pertinaciously refused to
break bread as a guest under any man's roof-tree, should be for days
receiving the hospitality of Lionel Haughton's wealthy and powerful
kinsman, was indeed mysterious. But whatever brought Waife and Lionel
thus in confidential intercourse could not but renew yet more vividly the
hopes she had been endeavouring of late to stifle. And combining
together many desultory remembrances of words escaped unawares from
Lionel, from Lady Montfort, from Waife himself, the truth (of which her
native acuteness had before admitted glimpses) grew almost clear to her.
Was not Mr. Darrell that relation to her lost mother upon whom she had
claims not hitherto conceded? Lionel and Waife both with that relation
now! Surely the clouds that had rested on her future were admitting the
sun through their opening rents--and she blushed as she caught its ray.