Ashleigh had left her that evening in order to make some purchases in the
town, in company with Mr. Vigors. When Mrs. Ashleigh returned, she and
Mr. Vigors had sought Lilian in that nook, and Mrs. Ashleigh then
detected, with a mother's eye, some change in Lilian which alarmed her.
She seemed listless and dejected, and was very pale; but she denied that
she felt unwell. On regaining the house she had sat down in the room in
which we then were,--"which," said Mrs. Ashleigh, "as it is not required
for a sleeping-room, my daughter, who is fond of reading, wished to fit up
as her own morning-room, or study. I left her here and went into the
drawing-room below with Mr. Vigors. When he quitted me, which he did very
soon, I remained for nearly an hour giving directions about the placing of
furniture, which had just arrived, from our late residence. I then went
up-stairs to join my daughter, and to my terror found her apparently
lifeless in her chair. She had fainted away."

I interrupted Mrs. Ashleigh here. "Has Miss Ashleigh been subject
to fainting fits?"

"No, never. When she recovered she seemed bewildered, disinclined
to speak. I got her to bed, and as she then fell quietly to sleep, my
mind was relieved. I thought it only a passing effect of excitement, in a
change of abode; or caused by something like malaria in the atmosphere of
that part of the grounds in which I had found her seated."

"Very likely. The hour of sunset at this time of year is trying to
delicate constitutions. Go on."

"About three quarters of an hour ago she woke up with a loud cry, and
has been ever since in a state of great agitation, weeping violently, and
answering none of my questions. Yet she does not seem light-headed,