394 DARK FOREBODINGS. 



" Ah-!" she said, " it's none, I doubt, of ours ; or if it is, he's 

 been affronted, and will never stay !" 



That evening, Lucy (an unusual thing for her) complained 

 of being tired. I was to "take care of my little cousin," on 

 which account, perhaps, I noticed more than usual both her 

 words and looks ; and then, for the first time, perceived in her 

 face an appearance which, young and thoughtless as I was, I 

 did not like. Her cheek looked pale and wax-like, and a 

 bluish circle surrounded her large soft eyes. By the next 

 morning, however, her colour had returned, her step was light 

 as ever, and my alarm, evanescent as the warning tokens which 

 had called it forth, vanished with them. They only, however, 

 slumbered, to be henceforth from time to time re-awakened, in 

 form vague indeed and shadowy, but darkly prognostic of 

 some impending harm beyond my power to avert from the dear 

 little cousin I had been told to take care of. 



Week after week passed over, and brought from my uncle 

 only an occasional short letter, of which those received latterty 

 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. 



As for Caleb Caligraph, he plied his daily avocations, now 

 more manifold than ever, with his usual clock-like precision, 



