hollow eyes, dim with trouble and suffering?' And as the shadowy hand touched him, Lady Margaret's words came to his memory: 'Death is a great peace-maker and heals all sores.' And as he clasped Cecil's hand, the angry bitterness died out of his heart, and Cecil, looking piteously in his brother's face with a dumb prayer for pardon in his eyes, knew, from Alick's pitying expression, that at last he was forgiven."

CHAPTER X

A HUMAN BUTTERFLY

"Be sure of it; give me the ocular proof.

MRS. FERARD's voice became a little husky-it was evident that her narrative affected her; as for Eden, her eyes were fixed on the speaker's face, and she was so much engrossed by the story that she forgot the lateness of the hour. Mrs. Ferard knitted rapidly for a few minutes in silence, then she recommenced.

"A long and painful conversation took place between the brothers; Cecil's penitence for his treachery was deep and sincere, and Alick's forgiveness was full and ungrudging. For years he had told himself that his love for Cecil was dead; but he was wrong, it was only crushed and dormant, and as he looked at the wan,

pinched face of the dying man the old tenderness revived.

"Alick,' observed Cecil faintly, as his brother smoothed his pillow and administered a restorative, you have forgiven me, and thank God for it; but there is something else that you must promise me if I am to die in peace;' and then he glanced at the cot where the child was now sleeping placidly; 'promise me that you will take charge of Bonnie-for Heaven's sake, for pity's sake, do not refuse me,' and the thin, skeleton fingers closed round Alick's wrist almost convulsively.

"My dear fellow,' he said, in a distressed voice, do you know what you are saying? Bonnie has her mother.'

"Then something like a sob rose to Cecil's lips. 'Mother!' he gasped; God help my girlie if she is left to Madelon's tender mercies! Do

you know where my wife is at this present moment, Alick? She is dancing at a ballwaltzing with a lot of empty-headed young fellows, and accepting their adoration.'

Impossible!' was the indignant response. "Then a bitter smile came to the pallid lips. 'It is rather difficult to believe, is it not, Alick?

Not much like a loving wife and mother to leave two such poor, helpless creatures to the mercy of a lodging-house drudge; but you see, there was the new dress, and the colonel's wife had promised to take her; and what were the claims of a sick husband and a little child compared to those attractions? She is dining with them now, and then they are to go to the Castle together, and she will be the life of the room and the centre of all eyes-for, confound it, she is handsomer than ever!' And here Cecil almost wrung his hands together in a perfect anguish of bitterness.

"I could not have believed it, even of her!' returned Alick, in a low voice.

"I daresay not, for you never knew the real Madelon; but we had not been married many weeks before I read her truly. Love with her is ephemeral-it is a sentiment, a passion, nothing more. She soon tired of me; and as for her child, she never pretended to care for her.

"Think of that, Alick-a girl baby, utterly neglected. You saw Bonnie just now is she not an engaging little creature? Yet I have seen

Madelon push her away when the child ran up

to her.

"One day Bonnie came to me crying.

Mammy had hurted her," as she said; and there, sure enough, was an angry red patch on her dear little cheek, where Madelon had struck her. I was a fool, Alick; but I felt that moment as though my heart were broken, and I cried like a child myself.'

"Don't go on, Cecil; I cannot bear to hear you. My dear boy, my poor fellow, yes, I will take the child, if you wish, and if'— here his voice changed and grew hard-' if Mrs. Redford'-he had never once pronounced the name Madelon since that terrible day- if Mrs. Redford will undertake not to interfere with her.'

"She will undertake anything that will rid her of such a burden; the darling is only a trouble and incumbrance to her. God bless you, Alick; you have taken a load off my mind. I could not have lain in my grave in peace if I had thought Bonnie was left to her mother. Hush! here she comes. What on earth has brought her back?' and Cecil moved uneasily on his pillow. The next