Susan returned the usual answer, but Joshua's entreaties caused her to waver. She re-entered the room, and Joshua heard Basil's voice speaking to her. Then Susan came out again, and said,-- "Mr. Kindred is too ill to see you--he told me to say so." "And Minnie?" "Minnie!" echoed Susan; and then in a low troubled voice, "Minnie is asleep." Joshua was inexpressibly pained. "I must be content, I suppose," he said, sighing; "but I am deeply grieved. Something seems to have come between us lately, and shall go away leaving a mystery behind. I wonder sometimes if am the cause of this estrangement. If I am, I hope all will be set right when I am out of the way." "I hope so," said Susan, with a singularly earnest look. "You hope so! Then I am the cause, and you believe it. Take care, Susan that you are not assisting in bringing unhappiness among us." "It is for you to take care," said Susan, with bitter emphasis, "that you do not do so." "What do you mean?" asked Joshua, in amazement. "Tell me. I have a right to ask, Susan, for you will one day be my sister." Joshua had taken her hand as he spoke, but she snatched it from him angrily. "I can tell you nothing that you do not know," she said hurriedly. "If I am to be your sister, I have only one thing to say to you." "Well?" he inquired, in an offended tone, for he was angered by Susan's manner. "Be true to Ellen," she said, with quivering lips and in a softer voice. "Is that your fear?" he exclaimed almost gayly. "Be true to Ellen! Why, Susey, I love her with all my heart and soul. But there! words go for nothing. Time will show. Bid Minnie and Mr. Kindred good-by for me, and say I was sorry I could not see them before I went away." He put out his hand, and mechanically she took it in hers; but she unloosed it immediately with a shudder, and left him abruptly. He was compelled to be content with that good-by, unsatisfactory as it was, and he walked to his home, where Dan had been staying for the last few days, eating there, and sleeping, in Joshua's room. Sitting in their bedroom alone on those last few nights, when all but themselves in the house were sleeping the friends renewed their vows of faithful love, and spoke of many things in the future which both of them desired. In one of these conversations Joshua put into Dan's hands a written paper, which made Dan and Joshua's father masters of his small savings and of wages that would be due to him from the London owners of the "Merry Andrew." "In case any thing happens to me," said Joshua, in explanation. "Not for any other reason, Jo," said Dan, "for I shall never want the money." "Father may want a little. It is all his and yours. As to your never wanting money, I wish I could feel sure of it." "You may, Jo; I am earning quite enough with my birds. Mr. Fewster gave me an order yesterday for four canaries thoroughly trained to do all the best and newest tricks."