424 DARK FOREBODINGS. 



whence the stage started. Fond, as I have said, more earnestly 

 fond than usual, were all his looks and words ; but of all, none > 

 were by me so well remembered as his parting injunction 

 " Take care, Frank, of your little cousin." This was given at 

 the foot of a hill between us and the town, up which he had 

 forbidden our ascent, and just as I was helping Lucy from the 

 saddle after he had given her his parting kiss. Then he kissed 

 me too. " God bless you, my boy ! God bless you, my dear 

 children !" and the pony, from habit, broke into a canter, and 

 was presently half-way up the hill. 



I felt, at that moment an unaccountable chili strike to my 

 young heart; but I was to "take care of my little cousin ;" 

 and, seeing the tears streaming down her cheeks, I began the 

 fulfilment of my charge, by trying to play the man, and do my 

 best to console and to divert her. 



Week after week passed over, and brought from my uncle 

 only an occasional short letter, of which those received latterly 

 made no mention of return. Meantime, the purse which he 

 had consigned to Dolly on departure waxed low and lower, 

 while, in like proportion, the face of the faithful stewardess 

 grew more and more anxious, till she was an entirely altered 

 person, in all but devoted affection, testified, if possible, more 

 than ever towards us, her children. 



One night, late in September, when we were assembled 

 Lucy on a low stool, one hand on Dolly's knee, the other on 

 the head of the large white cat her eyes, as those of us all, 

 bent upon the fire, she suddenly whispered, " Look there ! 

 there's the cricket !" and she pointed as she spoke towards the 

 hole into which our old favourite had run for refuge on being 

 routed by Caleb from his original retreat. "Look there!" 

 she repeated ; " I see his horns " and sure enough, by the 

 flicker of the dull fire-light there appeared protruding from 

 the cranny a long pair of waving antennae. Dolly, eager to be 

 assured that it was the cricket's self, caught a candle from the 

 mantel-shelf, lighted, and held it under the grate opposite the 



