"I may not live till then. Take—a—pen—and—write. With my dying breath I ask her to forgive me.—I leave to her—all—that I have —in the—world,—with my dying—love and blessing. She, Miss— Howard, will—know who—I mean. Tell her not to let our daughter think too hard of her father. Fold—it and direct to Miss Howard." Meanwhile Marion had returned home in such a state of excitement and fatigue that the physician, who took her there, sent her at once to bed, and ordered Hepsey to give her a powerful anodyne. When she woke, Mr. Lambert's servant had been to say that he wanted to see her as soon as she was able. Hepsey insisted that she should not go until she had eaten a hearty breakfast. "I think you ought to consider what Mr. Angus would say," she urged, "and for his sake take a little care of your health." "Hepsey, I feared last night that Mr. Lambert was dead, and, oh, Hepsey, it was what I had been telling him that made him fall into the swoon! You will not wonder that I was sick with fear when I tell you about it." "I shall tell Mr. Angus that you've had enough of excitement for one life, and he'd better get you to the country as soon as he can." CHAPTER XIII. RECONCILIATION AND HAPPINESS. THE carriage was already at the door, and Miss Howard drove hastily to Mr. Lambert's residence. She was informed that he was stronger, had taken more nourishment, and was again asleep. The valet came from the chamber where the sick man had been carried and gave her the sealed envelope; and with this in her hand she started for Mrs. Douglass's boarding-house, scarcely daring to read the words, lest she should unfit herself for the exciting scenes she must expect. After a cursory glance at the page she thrust it back into the envelope, and endeavored to form some plan by which she might best convey to her invalid friend the wonderful discovery she had made. Early as it was, Mrs. Cheriton had taken her boy for a walk. Mrs. Douglass sat reading by the window. She greeted Miss Howard with a smile and then, noticing her flushed face, asked,— "Are you well, dear?" "Can you bear good news, Mrs. Douglass?" "Good news seldom hurts any one." "Have you ever thought that your husband might be living near you?" "I know where he lives; I learned it by accident while in the country and found it impossible to remain away." "And that explains your sudden return and your watching so constantly from the windows?" Marion's tone was full of wonder. "I never told you his name. How did you find it out?" Marion then related all that had passed, and ended with giving the paper which the sick man had dictated when he thought himself dying. Mrs. Douglass's countenance expressed the deepest feeling, but she braced herself against giving way to her excitement.